A human DNA Bank was established by an Indian biotechnology firm director in northern city Lucknow, the Hindustan Times reported recently.

This is Asia’s only and the world’s second human DNA Bank. The U.S.’s Federal Bureau of Investigation was so far the only agency that could boast of a DNA bank, the report said.

The bank will require exhaustive details about a person, including fingerprints and four drops of blood. This information will be stored for 50 years, Dr Saeed Ahmad, Lucknow-based IQRA Biotech Services’ director, the creator of the bank said.

Dr Ahmed said the members of bank will get a microchip-based DNA card containing anthropological and medical information, biometrics details about a person. With the help of this card, all vital information about a person will be accessible at the click of a mouse.

He said, “Our team will contact people to make them members of the DNA Bank. An individual will have to shell out 650 rupees, or 15 U.S. dollars. We are ready to provide free technical services to police departments. The identification machines can be installed at important places such as airports, hospitals and railway stations at a cost borne by them and software and services provided by us.”

Dr Ahmed said this system will be helpful in hospitals and for police verification. It will also benefit the police in restoring a lost child to his parents and in cases of road and train accidents, plane crashes, natural disasters and terror attacks. (Source: Hindustan Times)