CRIMINAL DISPOSAL OF THE DEAD AFTER HOMICIDAL STRANGULATION: AUTOPSY DEFYING PUTREFACTION AND EVIL MOTIVES ONCE AGAIN

Authors

  • PAWAN MITTAL Department of Forensic Medicine, Bhagat Phool Singh Govt. Medical College and Hospital for Women, Sonipat, Haryana, India.
  • RAHUL CHAWLA Directorate of Medical Education and Research, Haryana, India.
  • ANIL KUMAR MALIK Deparment of Forensic Medicine, Gian Sagar Medical College and Hospital, Patiala, Punjab, India.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22159/ijms.2021.v9i4.42024

Keywords:

Homicide, Corpse, Criminal, Ligature Strangulation, Putrefaction, Autopsy, Larynx, Hyoid bone

Abstract

Homicide with concealment of the corpse is a rarely encountered phenomenon in routine forensic work. Such cases represent a challenge by the fact that the bodies or parts thereof are unknown, without any relevant history, and usually depict well-established changes of putrefaction at autopsy. However, a proper scrutiny of the circumstances along with discovery of significant injuries at autopsy may bring a breakthrough to the case. A case of putrefied and unidentified male dead body is hereby described that was killed by ligature strangulation followed by dumping into a deep water channel which was, however, preceded by tying-up of extremities with a strong metallic chain. The postmortem findings along with the ancillary investigations and case circumstances helped in concluding the cause and manner of death which was subsequently followed by the arrest of the perpetrators who submitted and explained the whole story of the crime. Various possible means of suicide, including a self-application of restraint, were excluded from the study.

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Published

01-07-2021

How to Cite

MITTAL, P., CHAWLA, R., & KUMAR MALIK, A. (2021). CRIMINAL DISPOSAL OF THE DEAD AFTER HOMICIDAL STRANGULATION: AUTOPSY DEFYING PUTREFACTION AND EVIL MOTIVES ONCE AGAIN. Innovare Journal of Medical Sciences, 9(4), 4–8. https://doi.org/10.22159/ijms.2021.v9i4.42024

Issue

Section

Case Study(s) / Case Report (s)