Gn Pramod Kumar

Unusual methods of suicide: complexities in investigation

Differentiation between suicide and homicide often becomes difficult owing to the unusual methods of suicide used by the victim and the complexities thus posed. Investigating the cases of unusual suicides provides a considerable challenge to the authorities concerned. The issue of homicide should often be ruled out in such cases, which require careful evaluation. This is best done by correlating the morbid anatomical findings at autopsy with the death scene analysis coupled with psychological autopsy. Many forensic practitioners have reported unusual methods of suicide at their respective workplaces. Various types of unusual methods of suicide and the complexities involved in their investigation are presented and discussed.

Colchicine poisoning: a case report and review of literature

Colchicine, a natural pseudo-alkaloid found in plants such as the Colchicum autumnale and Gloriosa superba has tremendous medicinal properties, but if misused by an unqualified person can result in fatal consequences. We report a case of colchicine poisoning in an adult man as a result of consumption of the herb G. superba by a 50-year-old man and review the literature.

Accidental strangulation by a hot belt: An occupational medico-legal case report

Death due to strangulation is generally considered homicidal unless proved otherwise. Here a case of accidental strangulation by a faulty machine is presented and discussed where the deceased was strangled by a heated rubber belt of a rice mill machine. The ligature mark was an assortment of abrasion and dermo-epidermal burns. The term “thermal ligature strangulation” is proposed for such an occurrence.

Inter Observer Variation in Analysis of Palatal Rugae Pattern

In comparative methods of identification, inter-observer variations always pose a predicament. Palatal rugoscopy, being a comparative mode of identification, is not an exception for such predicament. Each and every palatal print is unique and has great potential in the field of identification of living or dead. In the present study 25 palatal casts were analyzed by two independent observers one each from Medical and Dental fraternity. Statistical evaluation was done for inter observer variation in studying various shapes and directions.

Uncommon combination of malignancy: incidental diagnosis at forensic autopsy

Clinical features unrelated to the cause of death are often encountered in forensic autopsies. Such findings may prove to be incompatible with life, if the deceased were to survive. A case of incidentally diagnosed uncommon combination of malignancy of gastric adenocarcinoma and chromophobe variant of renal cell carcinoma is reported in a forensic autopsy conducted on a victim of alleged snake bite of hemotoxic venom.