Hyderabad Forensic Lab Fire: 1,100 Files Destroyed, BRS Alleges Evidence Loss, DGP Says “Totally False”

A major development has emerged in the investigation of the fire that struck the Telangana Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Hyderabad, with officials confirming that around 1,100 important files were destroyed in the incident.

The National Institute of Fire Safety Engineering (NIFSE) team from Nagpur, which is assisting authorities, has assessed the damage and begun efforts to recover crucial information.

Probe teams begin data recovery efforts

According to officials, specialists are now attempting to retrieve whatever data can still be salvaged from damaged records and digital systems. Telangana Director General of Police B Shivadhar Reddy earlier stated that experts from national institutions, including the Central Forensic Science Laboratory and NIFSE, had joined the inquiry following the incident.

"A thorough investigation is being conducted into the fire accident by experts. We are waiting for the report. We don't expect much damage, and even if some damage is there, we will try to retrieve it through the servers. Efforts were made to retrieve the data from the servers by the experts along with the local FSL team," Reddy said.

Opposition raises concerns over sensitive cases

The incident quickly became politically contentious. Leaders of the opposition BRS alleged that evidence connected to sensitive matters, particularly the 2015 cash-for-vote case, might have been destroyed.

The DGP dismissed the allegations firmly. "Some people made statements that the material related to a key (cash-for-vote) case was lost in the fire incident. It is totally false, and there was no such loss," he said.

He clarified that the entire documentation linked to the Anti-Corruption Bureau case had already been submitted to the court and therefore was not present in the laboratory when the fire occurred.

Fire at FSL and status of other investigations

The blaze erupted on February 7 at the Telangana Forensic Science Laboratory in Hyderabad. A day later, TGFSL Director Shikha Goel also rejected claims that evidence from major investigations such as the cash-for-vote and phone-tapping cases had been destroyed.

Officials further confirmed that reports related to the alleged phone-tapping matter had already been handed over to the concerned authorities before the incident. Investigators are now awaiting the expert report to determine the exact cause of the fire while continuing recovery work on remaining digital records.