Hyderabad experienced a fire at the Telangana State Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Nampally on Saturday morning. The incident triggered social media rumours claiming that evidence from high-profile cases was destroyed. However, FSL Director Shikha Goyal quickly clarified the situation, reassuring the public that all critical data remains safe.
Updates on Key Cases
In the 2015 “Cash for Vote” case, the lab had already analysed all 16 materials and returned them to the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) court in 2021. Director Goyal emphasised that the lab no longer holds any items related to this case. Therefore, the circulating claims about destroyed evidence are entirely false.
Regarding the 2024 Phone Tapping case, the lab received 136 materials. Officials have analysed and reported 129 items. Only seven items suffered minor fire damage, but the team expects to retrieve them soon.
Details of the Fire and Safety Measures
The fire started at 10:08 AM on the first-floor computer section, likely caused by a short circuit. Firefighters controlled the blaze by 1:30 PM. Director Goyal highlighted that all critical data is safe because the lab stores backups on secure servers.
Thanks to the fast response of the fire department and lab staff, the blaze caused minimal damage. Investigators are still reviewing the exact cause of the fire.
Public Reassurance
The director’s prompt clarification reassured residents and stakeholders. Transparency and timely communication helped maintain trust in forensic institutions. Officials also urged people to avoid spreading unverified information online.
2015 కేసు అంటున్నారు కానీ ఓటుకు నోటు కేసు పేరు చెప్పడానికి అంత భయం ఎందుకు? pic.twitter.com/CKbb2MwBdo
— Telugu Scribe (@TeluguScribe) February 8, 2026
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