Dubai forensics chief calls on unclaimed bodies to be given to medical schools

Maj Younis Albalooshy said that there is no such system in place now but the issue had been raised.

DUBAI // A police forensics chief has called on unclaimed bodies to be given to medical schools for educational purposes.

Maj Younis Albalooshy said that there was no such system in place but the issue had been raised.

“If such cases occur then, I think, after a certain period of time, the body should be transferred to schools,” he said. “The body will be used for educational and research purposes and will help in the development of medicine.”

This year, Dubai Police has had six cases of an unidentified body, four of which have since been identified. Last year, 11 cases were recorded, all of which were later identified.

“Most of the cases of unidentified bodies are resolved within three months, but we have had a case in the past in which a man was never identified and buried in Dubai,” said Maj Albalooshy.

Dubai Police sometimes reaches out to the public to identify bodies through photos of the deceased sent to the press.

“If by the first week we cannot identify the person then we send out a photo to the media to try and get the public’s help,” said Maj Albalooshy, adding that the matter of identity was simply about documentation.

“Although in some cases friends can identify the body, we cannot take their word for it without proper documentation,” he said. “In most cases, the deceased’s company will identify him. In others, it’s the relatives.”

After three months, if no proper documentation is found and no one can identify a body, Dubai Police contact the municipality to prepare for burial.

“We take the body’s fingerprints, DNA samples and, of course, save the forensics report, and then bury the body in Dubai,” said Maj Albalooshy.

“In cases where the deceased was a victim of a crime, or if we believe there has been foul play, then an autopsy is performed.”

Of the six unidentified body cases this year, five died of natural causes and the other was in a car accident.

Last year, of the 11 cases, nine were by natural causes, one was a drowning and one was from a car accident.

Maj Albalooshy said that there was also a case of a five-month-old foetus, which could not be identified.

“Such cases are unfortunate because there is no way we can get anyone to identify or claim the body, because its own parents did not want it.”

Whether a body was identified or not, and whether it was ultimately claimed or not, the procedures, he said, were the same.

“Every body, regardless of status, is treated with the same respect and attention. There is absolutely no difference.”