A new technique to lift fingerprints from a metal weapon even if it is washed, rubbed or wiped off, is developed by Dr John Bond, a researcher at the University of Leicester in England. This technique can become a new boon to the forensic experts.
The technique would help the investigators crack high profile cases such as the Aarushi murder and many others where the perpetrators of the crime had destroyed vital evidence.
In a research, forensic experts have found that the fingerprint on a metal never dies. And all of this can be attributed to the high content of ionic salt present in sweat in the hands that corrodes the metal," director of Directorate of Forensic Sciences M S Rao said.
The procedure works by applying an electric charge to a metal - say a gun or bullet - which has been coated in a fine conducting powder, similar to that used in photocopiers. The technique works on everything from bullet casings to machine guns. Even if heat vaporises normal clues, police will be able to prove who handled a particular gun.
