Medico legal diagnosis & pattern of injuries with sharp weapons.

Out of one hundred cases examined in GGS Medical College Faridkot during the period from July 2006 to September 2007 who sustained injuries with sharp weapons, majority (58%) were in the age group of 21-40 years, males (92%) with simple injuries (80%) and with light sharp weapons. Upper limbs were the parts of body with injuries in majority (47%) of cases followed by head (17%) and mixed type (14%).Nature of injury was homicidal in 60% cases followed by 34% cases with fabricated or strongly suspected fabricated injuries. This is a retrospective study to document pattern of injuries with medico-legal diagnosis to ascertain the type of injuries in the disbursement of justice.

Medical negligence - majesty of law - Doctors

In a land mark historical judgment the Hon,ble Supreme Court has ruled that doctors should not be held criminally responsible unless there is prime facie evidence before the Court in the form of a credible opinion from another competent doctor, preferably a Government doctor in the same field of medicine supporting the charges of a rash and negligent act. It is a laudable judgment in the light of criminal procedures filed against the medical professionals in trivial cases under Section 304-A and even 304 IPC where prima-facie there seems to be no neglect in these medical treatments.

Medico-legal autopsy by panel of Doctors present scenario.

Medico-legal autopsy to ascertain the cause of death or other factors concerning death in unnatural or suspicious cases is in general conducted by one autopsy surgeon. But situations do arise when services of more than one doctor in the form of panel are taken for conducting autopsies. Except administrative orders for panel formation for autopsy in dowry related or custodial deaths, there are no clearly defined guidelines for constitution of the panel of autopsy surgeons in a large number of cases. Keeping in view the scientific, administrative, medical, legal and academic aspects of such autopsies, there is an urgent need to formulate certain guidelines for constituting such panels for disbursement of justice in a better way in public interest and to counter the probability of harassment and exploitation of the autopsy surgeons later on.

Attempt to murder (section 307 IPC) and medical evidence a case report.

The investigating authorities often make heinous offences like u/s Section 307 IPC, without taking into consideration the medical evidence, by taking advantage of the legal loop-holes, causing undue harassment to the alleged accused while the medical evidence plays a pivotal role in establishing such cases in a court of law. The authenticity of medical opinion is discussed in this case wherein the offence u/s 307 IPC against the alleged accused was ordered to be cancelled by the court keeping in view the simple nature of injuries from medical evidence.