Raghvendra Singh Shekhawat

Abdominal self-stabbing: A case report

While abdominal stabbings are frequently associated with homicides, abdominal self-stabbing is uncommon and poses a challenge for the investigators. In cases of sharp force trauma, the presence of hesitation cuts over the neck and extremities help to distinguish self-inflicted injuries from homicides. Hesitation cuts are not associated with self-inflicted sharp force injuries to the abdomen, and thus are of limited use in distinguishing suicidal from homicidal abdominal stab wounds. In this study, we present a case of self-inflicted abdominal stabbing along with a detailed review of literature to help elucidate such cases.

Fatal anaphylaxis from hymenoptera stings

Venomous insect stings are a cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The sting reactions are unpredictable and vary among individuals. A case of fatal insect sting in an elderly female is presented to discuss the associated challenges during necropsy.

Filicide-suicide: An unusual variant of dyadic death

Dyadic suicides may be committed simultaneously or one after another by two or more people who may or may not have made a prior pact. The perpetrator is usually male and their victims female, and generally their intimate partners, with children less commonly involved. Another distinct type of homicide-suicide is the killing of children by a parent (filicide-suicide). The terms ‘maternal filicide’ or ‘paternal filicide’ are used respectively when the perpetrator is the mother or the father of the victim. We report a rare case of maternal filicide, where the mother drowned her three children and then herself in the same water tank. The case highlights the extreme stress put on a mother of girls in a patriarchal society where there is an overriding expectation and wish for sons. The resulting pressure on this mother for her ‘failure’ caused her to take her own and her childrens lives.

The development of a post-mortem interval estimation for human remains found on land in the Netherlands, yet some facts need further exploration

Dear Editor, We would like to congratulate the authors for an informative article titled BThe development of a post-mortem interval estimation for human remains found on land in the Netherlands^ [1]. The authors have developed a decomposition scoring method and have derived a formula to estimate the PMI (post-mortem interval) by using the developed decomposition scoring method and the ADD (accumulated degree days). A conclusion has been drawn, that the developed decomposition scoring method is a practical method to measure decomposition for human remains found on land and thus the PMI can be estimated using this method in the climate similar to the study place. We, however, have certain reservations on the methodology followed and conclusions drawn in the study that need to be elaborated for a better understanding of this significant research. The authors had highlighted various factors affecting decomposition of the body hence affecting the estimation of post-mortem interval accurately. The underlying cause of death could be an important factor which affects the process of decomposition especially in deaths related to poisoning. It is a common knowledge that certain poisons tend to speed up or retard the process of decomposition. Additionally, mention of the cause of death in the study cases and their categorization into different groups for analysis would have made this study more authentic. The authors had categorized cases into indoor and outdoor cases. Outdoor temperature is taken from the meteorological center, but for indoor cases, the average temperature was taken for all cases. Previous studies had reported the fact that temperature is the single most crucial factor affecting the process of decomposition. If the actual indoor temperature was taken, the result would be more reliable. In case the actual indoor temperature was not available, then different indoor temperatures during different seasons based on the time of death would have been appreciable. The authors provided Book of reference to the three groups of participants’ namely forensic physician, forensic scientist, and medical students for validation purpose. The participants were allowed to see this Book of reference only before validation of scoring. We think that during validation had the participants allowed to observe Book of reference simultaneously the result could have better. We do not see any harm in this protocol as simultaneous observation of the reference book and actual photographs would certainly minimize the memory bias. There was an unequal distribution of male-female cases, while body fat content and lean body mass are known factors affecting the process of decomposition. The authors could have developed a separate formula for both male and female. Our correspondence thus emphasizes the appropriate statistically derived sample size and accurate temperature recording. The inclusion of temperature in total decomposition score and other factors affecting the process of decomposition in the PMI estimation can provide more accurate results.

Euthanasia: Global Scenario and Its Status in India

The legal and moral validity of euthanasia has been questioned in different situations. In India, the status of euthanasia is no different. It was the Aruna Ramachandra Shanbaug case that got significant public attention and led the Supreme Court of India to initiate detailed deliberations on the long ignored issue of euthanasia. Realising the importance of this issue and considering the ongoing and pending litigation before the different courts in this regard, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India issued a public notice on May 2016 that invited opinions from the citizens and the concerned stakeholders on the proposed draft bill entitled The Medical Treatment of Terminally Ill Patients (Protection of Patients and Medical Practitioners) Bill. Globally, only a few countries have legislation with discreet and unambiguous guidelines on euthanasia. The ongoing developments have raised a hope of India getting a discreet law on euthanasia in the future.

Cathartic Turned Bioweapon: Ricinus communis, the Castor Bean

Ricinus communis is an annual shrub belonging to the Euphorbiaceae family that grows wild in open fields of temperate and subtropical regions. It can be an uninvited nuisance shrub or a cultivated commercial plant. Also known as the castor plant and mole bean/moy bean, it is popularly known as arand in Hindi dialect. Most plants are stout, woody, and attain a height of 6 to 9 m with red to maroon branches. A dwarf variety of about 2 m also

Photography in Forensic Medicine: Guidelines and Recommendations in the Indian Perspectiv

Photography has been an integral part of Forensic Medicine since time immemorial. Since these photographs are predominantly used for legal purposes, they should be as accurate and informative as possible. Photographs are not only important to document injuries, but also to document absence of injuries (negative photographs). The major factor with photography in Forensic Medicine is that the photographs are not repeatable and also that one copy has to be submitted to the courts. Therefore utmost care is required when the photographs are taken and preserved. A good photograph not only gives detailed information of the incident but also assists the court in administration of justice. The present paper not only addresses common problems faced by the Forensic Medicine experts while taking photographs, but also provides guidelines and technical suggestions for better photography. Along with that new concepts in medical photography are also discussed.