Bones unveiled gruesome murder.

ABSTRACT

A bundle of bone in a carton was sent to the Deptt. of Forensic Medicine, Guwahati Medical College for autopsy. Police suspected that the bones belonged to a young boy of Guwahati who was kidnapped and ransom demanded. Systematic examination revealed that the bones belonged to a single human being, sex was male and the age was ascertained to be between 16 to 18 years. The stature was calculated from long bones to be 160.4 cm ± 3.9 cm. The skull showed one ante mortem incised wound over the right parietal bone involving both the tables. The time since death was estimated to be 1 to 2 years. The skull, scapula, hip bone and one femur were sent to State Forensic Science Laboratory for Superimposition, DNA typing and Chemical analysis. Superimposition could not be carried out and report of DNA typing not received. Chemical analysis gave negative test for common poisons. Opinion regarding the cause of death was given subsequently as coma resulting from homicidal incised wound of the skull. The autopsy report, corroborative evidences and subsequent investigation by the police confirmed the suspicion of police.