Online First

2021 : Volume 1, Issue 1

Tribulas terristris (Gokhru) A Silent Witness Revealed Blind Murder-A Case Study

Int J Forensic Sci Med Jurisprudence

Article Type : Case Reports


Abstract

The investigation of death on railway line requires special eagle eye for solving such type of incidences. Microscopic inspection of crime scene, circumstantial evidences, clothing, injury pattern and postmortem report plays an important role and crime scene itself provides several vital information’s. In the present study an important case of suspicious death discussed in which the deceased was found on railway line into two pieces in police station Cantt of district Guna M.P. with plenty of Gokhrus in the head as well as on the body which were notable and rail line were infested with dropping blood drops, which were suggestive of homicidal death of the victim at the crime scene during forensic inspection all the physical evidences circumstances and last seen theory finally connected to the culprits.

Keywords: Physical evidence; Blind murder; Homicide; Forensic investigation

Introduction

Physical evidence is one of the investigators most valuable possessions in pursuing the investigation to a successful conclusion. It can establish that a crime has been committed or not and establish link between crime, victim and accused. In the present case an unsual vegetable evidence Gokhru indicated something unusual and physical evidence not only established crime also helped in identification of victim and helped in linking crime scene with accused [1-5].

Brief History of the case

Police station Cantt Guna informed to the scene of crime mobile unit Guna that a dead body of unknown person was lying at Guna Pagara line 1090/7 milestone and crime scene visit requested. The Merg No. 68/2001 u/s 174 crpc was registered in P. S. Cantt Guna M.P.

Forensic observations at the Scene of crime

At the scene of crime dead body of a young male was lying in two parts with several Tribulas terristris (Gohkrus) in the head and in clothing which were indicating homicidal death of the deceased, no railway ticket and suicide note recovered which were creating suspicion on the death. After searching rail line, a track to Khejra road blood pool, button and two blood stained tooth were recovered. The bloodstain pattern was also suggestive of struggling and drag marks and blood drops from height fall and tyre marks of two wheeler appears like scooter tyre were present. Now on the basis of these physical evidence it was clear that it is a case of homicide. On the basis of reconstruction, it is presumed that struggle with unknown persons then they injured victim and body dragged to the railway line to pretend like as accident. During the course of the investigation, the body of the victim identified by the relatives of the victim as Mr. Harlal s/o Prahbulal Kushwah aged 35 years R/O Banskhedi. On the suggestion of crime scene mobile unit, the crime no 468/01 u/s 302, 201 IPC registered [Figures 1-8].

Figure 1: Victim body head contains Gokhrus.

Figure 2: Rest body part.

Figure 3: Railway line showing blood droplets.

Figure 4: Blood pool and Gokhru plant.

Figure 5: Teeth’s of deceased.

Figure 6: Mala of deceased.

Figure 7: Clothes of deceased.

Figure 8: Tyre marks of two wheeler scooter at scene of crime.

Post-mortem Examination

The post-mortem examination conducted in district hospital Guna, as per postmortem report body of an average built male were lying on the table supine in two parts at the level of thoracolumbar region and both parts upper and lower limbs were in extended condition. Rigor mortis present all over body, clotted blood seen over face, neck and skull. Upper central lateral incisor teeth were missing (four in number) and injuries like incised wound over vertex of head 8x2xbone deep cm, incised wound just below right mandible spindle shaped size 2x0.5x2 cm ecchymosis present were caused by sharpe cutting and hard object. Contusion over right upper arm 4x3 cm on cutting broken shaft of right humerus with ecchymosis caused by hard and blunt object antemortem in nature.

Crush injury at the level of D12 L, dividing trunk into two parts, crushing all underlying structures e.g., muscles, vessels, nerves, stomach, small and large intestine, intra-abdominal organs. Crushing D12, L1, L2 vertebra no ecchymosis, no clotting of blood postmortem injury, caused by hard and heavy object like wheel of train was postmortem in nature.

In the skull both partial bones crushed broken at D12, L1 and L2 with subdural cranial extradural hematoma present over partial lobe inner body organs were congested little blood were present in both chambers of heart, intestine, stomach and visceral organs were congested. On the basis of these postmortem findings autopsy surgeon opined death was due to head injury leading to coma. During PM examination clothes white kurta and blue underwear along with Gokhru were preserved.

Result and Discussion

In the cases of blind murder, the greater challenges are identification of the deceased as per forensic observations it was suggestive that this case of clear cut homicide as per wife of the deceased Mr. Harlal was muster servant in PHE department and doing part time treatment of the ladies which do not conceive and last night at 8 pm two persons came on scooter bring them for treatment work after that he was missing. During further investigation police searched two suspected persons who took away deceased and after interrogation police recovered bloody clothes, bloody shoes, knife and gokhrus adhered on them which were silent witness of this homicide case. On the basis of micro forensic investigation and physical evidence revealed the heinous crime and blind murder solved.

Conclusion

From the observation and physical evidence found on the spot it was clear that Mr. Harlal was attacked by sharp weapon, ante mortem injuries on the body and blood drops on the railway track were suggestive of the postmortem cutting of the body and blood pool at the Khejra road and mala broken, blood stained teeth near gokhru plant and pajama near spot and tyre marks at the scene of crime were suggestive of clear cut homicidal case. During investigation and interrogation accused Mr. Narendra and Prem Singh Kushwah confessed that deceased were involved in pregnancy treatment of their friends wife and he did mischievous act with them for sake of revenge they both planned and convinced victim for medication of their relatives and victim agree to treat them also during visit and travelling on scooter they attacked victim and struggle took place at Khejra road where they inserted knife to the victim and body thrown at railway line to pretend like accident but micro forensic investigation and plenty of Gokhrus revealed the whole story of the case.

Acknowledgements

The Authors express their sincere thanks and gratitude to SHO Mr. R. S. Tomar P. S. Cantt, I.G.P. Mr. Avinash Sharma, Mr V. Madhukumar S. P. Guna and Dr. D. K. Satpathy Ex-Director medicolegal institute Bhopal M. P. for motivation and constant encouragement.

References

  1. Sharma BR. Forensic Science in Criminal Investigation and Trials. Fourth Edition. 2003.
  2. Dhingra V. Homographic, Some Meaningful Points on Suicidal Death Crime Scene Investigation. Peer Re J Foren Gen Sci. 2019;3.
  3. Vinod D and Sarthak J. Importance of Medico-Legal Expert at Scene of Crime Related to Death. J Forensic Sci Criminal Inves. 2017;6:555682.
  4. Dhingra V and Juglan S. Forensic Aspects and Investigation of Death Due to Fall from Height- A Case Study. Int J Forensic Sci 2020;5:000192.
  5. Dhingra V. Some Important Points for Meaningful Crime Scene Reconstruction. Int J Forensic Sci. 2018;1:50.

CORRESPONDENCE & COPYRIGHT

Corresponding Author: Vinod Dhingra, Senior Scientific Officer, Regional Forensic Science Laboratory, India.
 
Copyright: © 2021 All copyrights are reserved by Dhingra V, published by Coalesce Research Group. This work is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

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