Bangalore: A top forensic scientist today (Oct 19, 2004) suggested confirmation beyond doubt of the identity of Veerappan, who was killed in an encounter with Special Task Force (STF) in Dharmapuri district last night (Oct 18, 2004) through DNA profiling.

Prof P Chandra Sekharan, who was the principal scientific investigator in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, said the move is needed as controversy may arise as to whether it was really the forest bandit who was shot dead since the brigand had shaved his prominent moustache.

The former Director of Forensic Sciences Department, Government of Tamil Nadu, and Professor-Director, Centre for Forensic Sciences, National Law School of India University, said there might also be controversy as to whose shots had actually killed him.

"In order to avoid such controversies, it is essential that the bodies of all those shot dead are well preserved and a team of experts consisting of senior pathologists and forensic scientists carries out post-mortem examinations", he said in a statement in Bangalore.

In fact, even after autopsy, it is better to preserve bodies for quite some time or even permanently, he said. The bodies have to be photographed and videotaped in detail.

Chandra Sekharan said firearm injuries are to be colour photographed and recorded in detail, adding, radiography of the bodies might also be necessary before removing the bullets, which might have to be examined by ballistic experts to decide from whose firearms the shots came from.