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Fire guts entire floor at Hyderabad’s premier forensic laboratory, Opposition calls for judicial probe

Telangana's opposition party the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has said that the fire was caused deliberately to wipe out evidence in important cases including 'cash for vote' case in which the current Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy was accused.

According to fire firefighters, computers and document files were lost in the fire. The FSL has not clarified if any crucial evidence was lost.According to fire firefighters, computers and document files were lost in the fire. The FSL has not clarified if any crucial evidence was lost. (Screenshot: X/@ANI, enhanced using Google Gemini)

A fire broke out at Hyderabad’s Forensic Science Laboratory — which processes forensic evidence of most crimes in Telangana — Saturday morning. The fire gutted the first floor of the two-storey building.

According to fire firefighters, computers and document files were lost in the fire. The FSL has not clarified if any crucial evidence was lost. Meanwhile, the fire chief Vikram Singh Mann has said that all measures were taken to save as many files as possible.

The fire broke out at 10.15 am, and the first fire call was received at 10.21 am. It took two hours for the fire fighters to douse the flames. The cause of fire is believed to be “electrical in origin”, meaning it could have been a short circuit, fire tending officials told The Indian Express.

As FSL deals with crucial forensic evidence in high profile cases too, Telangana’s opposition party the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has said that the fire was caused deliberately to wipe out evidence in important cases including ‘cash for vote’ case in which the current Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy was accused.

Casting aspersions, BRS working president K T Rama Rao wrote on X, “I am guessing the voice recordings of the famous ‘vote for note’ case. And trying to cover up for lack of evidence in cooked up political cases like phone tapping”. BRS spokesperson Sravan Dasoju said that a judicial inquiry should be instituted to look into the fire.

The Congress and the state government have not officially responded to the allegations.

Nikhila Henry is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Hyderabad. With a career spanning 17 years, she has established herself as an authoritative voice on South Indian affairs, specialising in the complex intersections of politics, education, and social justice. Experience & Career: Nikhila commenced her journalism career in 2007 as an education correspondent for The Times of India in Hyderabad,where she gained recognition for her coverage of student politics. Her professional trajectory includes a four-year tenure at The Hindu, where she focused on minority affairs and social welfare. In 2019, she took on a leadership role as the South Bureau Chief for The Quint, where she directed regional coverage across all five South Indian states. Her expansive career also includes a tenure at the BBC in New Delhi and contributions to prestigious international outlets such as The Sunday Times (London) and HuffPost India. Expertise & Focus Areas Nikhila’s reportage is marked by a deep-seated understanding of grassroots movements and institutional policy. Her core focus areas include: Regional Politics: Comprehensive analysis of the socio-political dynamics across South India. Education & Student Movements: Chronicling the evolution of Indian academics and the rise of youth activism. Minority Affairs: Rigorous reporting on the welfare, rights, and challenges facing marginalized communities. National Beat: Elevating regional stories to national prominence through investigative and on-ground reporting. Authoritativeness & Trust A respected figure in Indian media, Nikhila is not only a seasoned reporter but also an accomplished author and editor. She authored the critically acclaimed book The Ferment: Youth Unrest in India and edited Caste is Not a Rumour, a collection of writings by Rohith Vemula. Her dual background in daily news reporting and long-form authorship allows her to provide readers with a nuanced, historically-informed perspective on contemporary Indian society. Find all stories by Nikhila Henry here. ... Read More

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