Atul Murari

Multiple variations of firearm injuries - a case report.

Variation from common findings in death due to firearm injury is not commonly encountered. When there is an atypical finding, the forensic pathologist may feel it difficult for differentiating firearm entry wound from firearm exit wound, tracing the wound track, estimating approximate range of firing and differentiating suicidal injury from homicidal injury. Failure to differentiate entry wound from exit wound can cause error in calculating number of projectiles entered into the body, lodged inside the body or exited through the body, besides posing problem in ascertaining direction of firing and direction of wound track etc. Failure to differentiate contact or close range firearm injury from distant range firearm injury can lead to wrong interpretation about the manner of death. The authors have reported a fatal case of rifled firearm injury showing multiple variations from common findings.

Age estimation from IV rib by phase analysis in Indian females

Metamorphosis at the sternal extremity of the rib has already been established as a reliable indicator of age at death by Iscans phase method introduced in 1985. The purpose of this paper is to apply rib phase standards to an Indian sample to test if the progression of morphological changes follows the same age sequence. The rib sample shows that an accurate estimation of age can be made by direct examination of the bone itself. The sample consisted of 63 ribs of known age, sex, and race. The ribs were assigned to one of nine phases (0 through 8) based on changes noted at the costochondral junction. These included the formation of a pit, its depth and shape, configuration of the walls and rim surrounding it, and the overall texture and quality of the bone. Statistical analysis revealed that the features chosen to delineate the phases are valid predictors of age. This study has shown that the sternal rib can provide an accurate estimation of age in females spanning a mean age of 14 to 85 years.

Crucial Factors Frequently Overlooked in Deaths due to Hanging: A Prospective Study

For long time forensic investigators have considered Hyoid and laryngeal injuries as important findings in cases of deaths due to strangulation. Further the incidence of injuries to the neck structures in such cases being related to various factors like the age, gender, the type of the hanging based on suspension and the position of the knot are well documented. Our study highlights the impact of other crucial factors which are usually overlooked, but having strong association in the deaths due to strangulations in general and hanging in particular. The study was undertaken in Central Delhi in 100 cases of hanging, where we studied the association between the hyoid and laryngeal fractures with other variables like type of the ligature material used, the number of turns around the neck, the width of the ligature mark, the type of the knot (fixed/running noose), the duration of suspension and the Body Mass Index of the individuals. In our study 42% of cases had hyoid/laryngeal injuries. These injuries were more common in those who had used hard ligature material with more than one turn around their neck and with a broader ligature mark on their neck. Hyoid and laryngeal injuries were also more common in victims who had a running noose and a prolonged duration of suspension.