The study evaluates the usefulness of human beta-actin related pseudogene (ACTBP2; SE33) microsatellite in forensics. Population samples of three ethnic groups from the state of Kerala, located on the southwestern coast of India, were analyzed. DNA was extracted using a rapid non-enzymatic salt precipitation method (1) and PCR amplified using locus specific primer (2). The forward primer was fluorescently labeled with Cy5 dye amidite. Amplimers were typed on ALF Express DNA Sequencer (Amersham Pharmacia Biotech). Allelic ladder developed in the laboratory was used for typing. Additionally, internal standards were used in each lane. Data were analyzed using Arlequin ver 1.1 (3). Polymorphic information content, power of discrimination and power of paternity exclusion were calculated as (4,5) and (6), respectively.