Dr.

Virendra Kumar
MBBS, MD (India)
Professor and Head
Department of Forensic Medicine
Aarupadai Veedu Medical College
Pondicherry, INDIA

Introduction
Various Reasons of Unnatural (homicidal and Suicidal) Death of
Women
Dowry What is
Dowry related Crimes
Dowry Death
Abetment of Suicide
Cruelty by Husband or Relatives of Husband
Methods for Homicide and Suicide in Women
Bride Burning What, Why
Sati System
Incidences
Material and Methods
Advantage & Disadvantages of Methodology
Challenges in Data Collection
Other sources of Data Collection
Recommendations
Effective Surveillance System
Haddons Matrix
Other General Measures
Inference of Study
Summary
Photographs
Annexure I (Performa of Research)

Introduction

Various Reasons of Unnatural (Suicidal and

Homicidal) Deaths of Women :

Dowry
Marital Infidelity
Sexual Jealousy
Impotency
Oedipal Dominance of mother in law over the
bridegroom

Contd/-

 Husband may be Intoxicated, Epileptic, Insane

Deluded or Depressed
Wife may be Intoxicated, Epileptic, Insane or
suffering from any Chronic Incurable diseases
Poverty
Loneliness
Quarrel with mother in law or husband
Failure in the exams
Frustration in Love
Unemployment etc

DOWRY
Dowry means the money, goods or estate
that a woman brings to her husband in marriage
Dowry is a continuing demand. It is not one isolated
payment made initially at the time of marriage alone, but
a series of gifts before and after marriage till the in-laws
and the husband are appeased.
This custom of dowry has been in vogue since very
ancient times
Contd/-

As per the Dowry Prohibition Act 1961, Dowry is

Any property or valuable security given or agreed to be
given either directly or indirectly
1. By one party to a marriage to the other party to the
marriage; or
2. By parents of either party to a marriage or by any
other person to either party to the marriage or to any
other person, at or before or after the marriage
Contd/-

Dowry Related Crimes

Dowry Death
Indian law states that any suspicious death of a married
woman within seven years of her marriage is considered
to be a case of dowry death unless proved otherwise by
the defendants
It is a cognizable and non-bailable offence.
Contd/-

Dowry Deaths has been defined in under Sec.

304 B of IPC as
1. When the death of a woman is caused by any
burns or bodily injury or occurs otherwise than under
normal circumstances within seven years of her
marriage and it is shown that soon before her death
she was subjected to cruelty or harassments by her
husband or by any relative of her husband for, or in
connection with the any demand for dowry, such
deaths shall be called 'dowry death and such husband
or relative shall be deemed to have caused her death.

2. Whoever commits dowry deaths shall be punished

by imprisonment for no less than seven years, but
which may extend to life imprisonment.

Abetment of Suicide
(l) (Sec. 306) -In Indian Penal Code has been dealt
as :
'If any person commits suicide, whoever abets the
commission of such suicide, shall be punished with impri
sonment of either description for a term which may
extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.

Contd/-

(2) Sec. 113 A of Indian Evidence Act deals with

the presumption as to abetment of suicide by a married
woman as:
"When the question is whether the commission of
suicide by a woman had been abetted by her husband
or any relative of her husband and it is shown that she
had Committed suicide within a period of seven years
from the date of her marriage and that her husband or
such relative of her husband had subjected her to
cruelty, the Court may presume, having regard to all the
other circumstances of the case, that such suicide had
been abetted by her husband or by such relative of her
husband.

Cruelty by Husband or Relatives of

Husband: (Sec. 498 A IPC)
"Whoever being the husband or the relative of
the husband of a woman, subjects such woman
to cruelty, shall be punished with imprisonment
for a term which may extend to three years and
shall also be liable to fine.

Cruelty means
a) Any willful conduct which is of such a nature as is
likely to drive the woman to commit suicide or to cause
grave injury or danger to life, limb or health (Whether
mental or physical) of the woman; or
b) Harassment of the woman where such
harassment is with a view to coercing her or any person
related to her to meet any unlawful demand for any
property or valuable security or is on account of failure
by her or any person related to her to meet such
demand.

Methods used for Homicide or Suicide

in Women
Burning --- bride burning
Poisoning
Hanging
Strangulation
Head Injuries
Miscellaneous

Bride Burning
No specific definition of bride burning
May be suicidal or homicidal

Why Bride Burning?

Sati System
The belief that a sati had great supernatural
powers, motivated others to ensure that she
burnt herself for their benefit. It was thought
that a woman on her way to the pyre was
capable of bestowing eternal bliss on anyone
she cared to look upon; that she could
descend to hell and force the powers of the pit
to yield her ancestors, relatives and friends
and bring them to salvation.
Contd/-

 The belief prevailed that a man's

possessions
could be sent with him for use in the
next
world, if they were burned or buried with
him;
his wife was his chief possession and his
source of pleasure and had to be
dispatched to
serve him in his next life
Another reason could be the male
jealousy at
the thought of leaving his beautiful wife

for
Sati was to prevent a wife from
poisoning her
husband: the fact that she would have to
die
with him would inhibit any such
intentions.
That the widow might misbehave and
bring
disgrace to the family was yet another
theory
to support sati.

 Relatives did not wish to be

burdened with
the responsibility of supporting a
widow;
they coveted her wealth and wanted
her
out of the way; the son was relieved
of the
necessity of maintaining his mother;
the
male relatives took possession of
the

THE COMMISSION OF SATI (PREVENTION)

ACT, 1987
Sati" means the burning or burying alive of
(a) Any widow along with the body of her
deceased husband or any other relative or with
any article, object or thing associated with the
husband or such relative;

INCIDENCES
Difficult to determine accurate numbers
By extrapolating our data(1989) suggests 600750
homicidal deaths per year.
NCRB of India has reported 7618 dowry death cases
in 2006
Rugene and Basu (2002) reported about 15,000
homicidal death in women over dowry in India every
year.
Sharma BR et al in 2002 reports that an estimated
25,000 brides are killed or maimed worldwide every
year over dowry disputes

Material
and
Methods

Material
152 fatal cases of Burnt married female during
the period from 13-6-1987 to 3-2-1989 taken
randomly from a total of 27O married female
burn deaths autopsied during this period.
This total of 152 cases autopsied were studied
to find out the history of the cases, their
epidemiological features,
the nature of burn
injuries and their medico legal aspects.
This work was
burns only

confined to the cases of flame

Methods
I Data Collection
II Epidemiological Features
III Nature of Injury
IV Medico legal Aspects
V Exclusion and Inclusion Methods

I. Data Collection
A Interviewing
a) The husbands and in laws
b) The parents
c) The neighbours and friends
accompanying the dead body
d) Police constables accompanying the
cases.
B The police inquest reports and other Police
papers sent with the dead bodies
C First information reports.
D Autopsy examination proper.
These methods were used to collect the different
data pertaining to the cases.

II. Epidemiological Features

A The Host or the burn victims, such as
a) Age
b) Educational background
c) Occupational status
d) Socio-economic status
e) Religion
f) Personal history
whether -Intoxicated
-Epileptic
-Insane
-deluded
-depressed etc.

g) Marriage history such as

i. Type of marriage love or arranged marriage
ii. Date month and year of marriage
iii. Age at marriage
iv. Date of starting of conjugal life
h) Family history -i. Whether joint or nuclear family
ii. Number of children
iii. Number of persons in the family

B The Agent or the source of fire

a) Match stick
b) Wood cooking stove
c) Kerosene lamp or stoves
d) Gas cooking stoves
e) Coal cooking stoves etc.

C The Circumstantial Data (Environment)

a) Place of occurrence
Closed space ---kitchen, living room, kitchen cum
living room, store room
Open space -----Verandah, roof, portico, field etc
b) Season, month and time of the incidents
c) Rescue measures Whether attempted or not, If yes, then by whom
d) Place of death i. On the spot
ii. in the way to hospital
iii. in the hospital
iv. After discharge from hospital at house or any
other place

III. Nature of Injury

A Burn Injuries
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)

size of the burnt area

site of body injured
whether ante mortem or postmortem burn
fatal period
External Postmortem finding --Kerosene oil smell
Singeing of hairs
Sooty blackening
Pugilistic attitudes
Heat fractures etc...

f) Internal changes at autopsy

i the presence of soot in the respiratory tract, or
GIT
ii generalized congestion
iii pallor of the viscera
iv Curling's ulcers
V state of uterus etc.

B Other Associated Injuries

IV. Medico legal Aspects

A
B
C
D

Nature - Homicidal, suicidal or accidental.

Motives in suicidal and homicidal cases.
Information to parents.
Information to police - by husband, in laws,
parents or neighbours etc

V. Exclusion method - for evaluation of the nature

of deaths especially in homicidal cases
Inclusion method Positive approaches

conflicting statements by in-laws

their movement and attitudes,
presence of other associated injuries,
dying declarations etc.

Advantages of the Methodology

1. First hand information at autopsy
2. Relatives, parents or neighbors usually
accompany the dead body who can be interviewed
3. Police also provide certain information
4. The attitudes, behavior and sometimes the body
language of in laws also become helpful in the
determination of nature and manner of death
5. Autopsy examination itself also gives certain clues for
the nature of such deaths.

Disadvantages of Methodology
1. In-laws always try to conceal the facts and level the
homicide one to as suicide or accidental one
2. Parents sometimes are not available during autopsy
3. At times parents also do not tell the truth just to avoid
any legal implications
4. Police is also sometimes bribed by In laws to make
the story as an accident
5. Sometimes even at autopsy also, it becomes difficult
to know the nature of death

Challenges in Data Collection

1.Uncooperative behaviour of Husband and In-Laws
They always try to conceal the facts and level the
homicide as suicide or accident
They try to bring the wrong parents
They are in hurry to finish the autopsy and dispose the
body
Sometimes, they are not available as they abscond or
they are in custody of police
They also pretend of rescuing the victim by burning
their hands.
Contd/-

2. Parents
Not available during autopsy as not been informed
Wrong parents
Parents also do not tell the truth just to avoid any
legal implications
Unable to share the fact due to mental trauma
3. Police
Bribed by in-laws to make the incident as an accident
4. Neighbour
Not available in many cases
If available, do not want to give any statements due to
legal implications
5. Autopsy
Even at autopsy also, it becomes sometimes difficult
to know the nature of death

Other Sources of data collection

(Not used in authors study)
1. Accident & Emergency
2. Police records
3. NGOs
4. Local Panchayats or Mothers group
5. Community based studies

Recommendations
Prevention and Control of Dowry Death
Effective Surveillance system in married
women deaths
A Reliable estimates of dowry deaths by
collection and collation of all the data from various
sources as mentioned above at the regional and
national level
B Design of tools for distinguishing between
accidents, suicides, and homicides
C One central agency should be given
responsibility for all this surveillance work e.g.,
National Commission For Women in India,

Similar organization in other countries can also

be appointed who can make quarterly reports on
the subject. This Report should highlight
Magnitude of problem
Geographical distribution
Ethnic/caste/religion distribution
Age/education/occupation
Manner of deaths
Cost- direct and indirect of mortality and
morbidity
Contd/-

This report can be utilized for advocacy at state,

regional and national levels. The targets for advocacy
in this matter should include the policy makers
including politicians and bureaucrats. India has a large
influence of cinema actors that can become channels
of change for the public so they should also be the
target of advocacy activities.

Useful tool for conceptualizing etiological factors

and identifying prevention strategies. Within this
framework, the host (woman), the agent (fire
source) and the environment (social and physical)
are analyzed in each of the three event phases:
Pre-Event
Event
Post-Event, as targets of change

Contd/-

Other General Measures

Increasing education for women for economic
and emotional independence
Proper implementation of existing laws along with
new, stricter legislation to abolish dowry related
crimes
Establishment of voluntary associations to decrease
the importance of dowries in general.

Inference
of
Study

 Married female burn constituted 82.31% of

total burn deaths including males, autopsied
during 13th June 1987 to 3rd Feb., 1989
Out of the total 152 cases studied 70(46.05%)
were accidental 47(30.92%) homicidal and
32(21.05%) were suicidal in nature.
Most of married female burn deaths
136(85.47%) occurred within 35 yrs. of their
age.

Nature of Death
46.05

50

Percentage

40
30

30.92
21.05

20
10

1.98

0
Suicidal

Homicidal

Accidental

Manner of Death

Undetermined

 Homicide by burning of married women (48.93%) were done at an earlier age(16-20

years), While suicidal and accidental-(40.62%)
and (27.14%) respectively burning occurred at
a little older age from 21-25 years.
Incidences of burnt married female were
mostly in Hindu religion - 141(92.76%)
followed by the Muslims - 10(6.57%) and
Christian - 1(0.65%).

 Most of the Cases - 111(73.02%) came from

rural areas than the city locality - 33(21.71%)
and 8(5.26%) belonged to sub urban
community.
Over the majority of the incidents - 37(90.13%)
of married female burning were either in low or
lower middle socio-economic class.

 Almost all the burnt victims - 146(96.05%)

were either illiterate 81(53.28%) or poorly
literate that is educated only up to High
School standard 65(41.76%) .
In the majority of the cases - 105(69.05%);
victims husband was either illiterate
28(18.42%) or educated up to High School
level only 77(50.65%) cases.

 Almost all the victims were housewives 147(96.71%) by their occupation

Victims husband were either in business 33(21.71%) or in service - 30(19.73%) or in
agricultural work 22(14.47%).
Majority of the victims - 116(76.31%) came
from joint family as compared to nuclear family
- 36(23.68%).
In a majority of cases 78(51.71%), the family
of the victims comprised of 6-10 members.

 In majority of cases -126(82.89%), victims age

at marriage were below 20 yrs.
Most of the homicidal (91.48%) and accidental
(42%) burns were seen when the marriage
took place, while the age of the victim was
between 11,to 20 years;
Suicidal cases were most frequently found
(75%) when the victims were married between
16-25 years of their age.

 Most of the victims had arranged marriages 141(92.76%) as compared to love marriages 11(7.23%) cases.
Almost half of the incidents occurred within 5
yrs. of their marriage - 74(48.68%).
Most of the burnt wife victims died either
issueless 74(48.68%) or after having one 26(17.10%) or two 21(13.81%) children. More
than half of the homicidal (53.19%) and
suicidal - (53.12%) victims died before they
had any issue.

 During pregnancy suicidal - 5(15.62%) and

accidental - 9(12.85%) burns were more
frequent than the homicidal - 2(4.25%)
burning.
Burnings were more frequent in the
evening
hours 49(32.23%) or in the morning hours 45(29.60%) followed by mid-day
37(23.34%) and night hours 21(13.8%).

 Largest number of victims - 69(45.39%),

sustained burn injuries in the kitchen followed
by in the living rooms - 27(17.76%) and
kitchen cum living room - 22(14.47%) while
and 26(17.10%) victims received burns in an
open space.
Most of accidental burns were due to either
wood cooking stove (40%) or by the use of
kerosene stoves - (34.28%); whereas
amongst suicidal (40.62%) and homicidal
(42.55%) victims match stick was commonly
used.

 Over the majority of homicidal-(57.44%) and

accidental-(68.57%) burns were first noticed
by the in-laws or husband of the victim while
suicidal burns were generally first noticed by
the neighbors(40.62%).

The large number of victims 127(83.55%) got

some kind of rescue either by in-laws 48(31.57%) or husband - 42 (27.63%) or by
neighbors- 30(19.73%) .

 Most frequently victims alone sustained

burn injuries -122(80.26%) while husband
in-14(9.21%), in-laws in - 12 (7.89%) and
neighbors in--2 (1.31%) cases sustained
burn injuries along with the victims
primarily during rescuing.

 In the maximum number of cases 50(32.89%) none was present at the place of
incidents- whereas one person in 30(19.73%),
two in 19(12.5%) and more than 5 person in
14(9.21%) of cases were present at the spot
during the incident.
Reportedly parents were informed in
l27(80.89%) cases of married female burning
while in rest cases 25 (16.44'%) parents were
not informed till autopsies were done.

 In a majority of the cases - 91(59.86%),

medical officer was the first person to inform
about the incidents to Police followed by
neighbors in-23(6.57%) in-laws in 14(9.21%)
husband in 11(7.23%) and parents in
10(6.57%) of cases.

 Over a majority of the victims 120(78.97%),.died in a hospital while 26(17.10%) died at the spot and 4(2.63%)
died on the way to hospital.
In the majority, amongst the hospitalized
cases 66(54.97%), treatment were started
between 1-6 hrs. after the incident and in 31(25.40%) victims treatment were started
earlier within 1 hour. In 22(18.03%) victims,
treatment were started after 6-12 of incident
and in - 3(2.45%) cases it was delayed
beyond 1 day.

 Most frequently - 84(72.13%) burnt wife victims

were hospitalized in the District Hospital followed
- 14(11.47%) in Medical College Hospital and
13(10.63%) were treated at Primary Health
Centers amongst hospitalized cases.
Largest number of hospitalized victims
-44(36.06%) died within 12 hrs. of their
hospitalization and still another - 17(13.93%}
cases expired within next 12 hrs. As many as
39(31.96%) victims could receive treatment for 110 days before their death and 22(18.03%)
victims had treatment for more than 10 days but
could not saved.

 Most commonly - 72(47.36%), victims

were dressed in synthetic Sari, followed by
46(30.26%) in cotton and - 29(19.07%)
were putting on semi synthetic sari.
Kerosene smell could be detected in
41(26.9%) of victims.

 Frequently homicidal - (34.04%) and suicidal

(25%) victims died instantaneously or died
within 24 hrs. -(40 42%) and (46.87%)
respectively; whereas majority of the
accidental victims survived for more than one
day - (67.14%)

 All suicidal - (100%) and homicidal - (95.74%)

cases have more than (50%) burns, while
many accidental - (28.57%) were having less
than 50% of burn.
100% burns were more frequent in homicidal
(44.68%) than suicidal (31.25%) or accidental
(4.28%) cases.
In - 6(3.94%) victims (homicidal 4, and suicidal
2) both ante mortem and postmortem burns
were found and other associated injuries along
with burns were seen in - 10(17.10%) cases
which were all homicidal.

 Carbon soot in respiratory tract was

detected in 26(17.10%) cases, generalized
congestion of viscera in 112(73.68%) and
generalized pallor in 39(25.64%) cases were
found.
Singeing of hairs in 102(67 .10%), sooty
blackening in 86(56.57%), Pugilistic attitude
in 24(15.78%}, heat rapture in 23(15.15%)
and heat fracture in 2(1.31%) cases were
ascertained

 Most frequently in - 100(65.98%)

cases the cause of death was shock
while 47(30.92%) victims died of
septicaemia. In 4 cases there was
head injury contributing to the burn
shock.

Summary
This problem is frequent in low or lower middle
class. Many of the victims are in the early
periods of marriage with extensive burns.
Moreover, newly married females are also much
more vulnerable to accidental burn as they, in
their new place at in-laws house, fail to
acclimatize with all sorts of adversities. Though
only few cases of literate women succumbed to
this injury in authors study, yet literacy has little
to do with these injuries as because female
literacy itself as whole is low.

Even the literate woman fails to acclimatize

with the situation and suicide is resulted.
Many of the women die issue less or after
having one or two children. Apart from this,
dowry problem which results in bride burning
is increasing day by day in spite of
legislation. Usually the dowry problem exists
in joint families and arranged marriages,
where the burning of married females are
seen mostly.

ANNEXURE - I

PROFORMA
OF
RESEARCH

A STUDY OF BURNT MARRIED FEMALES IN MEDICOLEGAL AUTOPSIES

1. Age:

Year

2. Victims Religion:

Caste:

Culture:

3. Husband's Religions

Caste:

Culture:

4. Education of Victim:

Months

Days

Illiterate / Primary / Jr.High School / High-School /

Intermediate / Graduate / Postgraduate / Professional

Degree
/Any other ......
5. Education of Husband: Illiterate / Primary /Jr.High School / High-School /
Intermediate / Graduate / Post graduate / Professional
Degree /Any other ......
6. Victim's Occupation:

House-wife / Office worker / Nurse /Student / Medical / Legal

/Any other .....
7. Husband's Occupation: Student / Un-employed / Service / Business / Agriculture /
Medical / Legal / Technical/ Skilled Labour / Unskilled
labour / Petty Trader /Any other.
8. Family Occupation of In-laws: Service / Business /Agriculture / Petty Trader/Skilled
labour/Unskilled labour/ Medical/Legal/Any other ........
9. Community character of In-laws: Rural / Urban / Rurban.
10. Community character of Parent's:

Rural / Urban / Rurban.

11. Income:

i) Victims Income: (If self employed)

ii) Husbands Income:
iii) Family Income:

12. Socio-economic Status:

Very low / Low / Lower middle / Higher middle / High

/ Very high

13. Brief History of Incident:

By Inlaws:
By Parents:
By Neighbours:
By Police / Panchanama

MARITAL HISTORY
14. When did she get married:
15. Whether was she re-married Yes / No
If yes, the position of the previous husbands 16. Age of the:
Victim at the time of marriage
Husband at the time of marriage
17. Husband's marriage First / Second / Third ........
What happened to previous wives,
Give Briefly 18. Whether - Arranged marriage / Love marriage
19. After marriage, whether living together or not If together since how long
If separate, since how long
Frequency of visit if living separate

20. Marital Life - Happy / Un-happy

21. If Unhappy, Why?
i. If there is any sexual dissatisfaction
a) Whether she is sterile - Yes/No
b) Whether she is frigid / impotent - Yes/No
c) Marital infidelity of victim - Yes/No
d) Marital infidelity of Husband - Yes/No
ii. Oedioal dominance of mother-inlaw over the groom - Yes/No
iii. Whether the husband is intoxicated/epileptic/ Insane / deluded/depressed
/any other .......
iv. Whether she is intoxicated / epileptic/Insane / deluded /depressed /
any other .......
v. Whether Unhappy because of poverty; Yes/No
22. Was there any relationship with the Dowry in the marriage - Yes/No
If Yes --i) Whether in kinds/Money/both
ii) Was anything left to be fulfilled on the demand of Inlaws -Yes/No
iii) Whether the dowry was enforced/willingly given.
iv) Was such dowry instances in the family - Yes/No
v) Was any marriage in the family without dowry system Yes/No
vi) Was ever any death in the family in relation to Dowry Yes/No

FAMILY HISTORY:
23. Family:
24. Size of the family

Nuclear family/Joint family/Three generation family

Major members;
Minor members:
25. Whether there is any issue Yes/No
If Yes i) Number of male child;
ii) Number of female child
iii) Number of dead child
26. Whether the children are getting proper development- Yes/No
27.
Children
Sex
Age

Education

1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
28. Was ever any suspicious death of women in the family- Yes/No
If Yes - then what was the
i) Natureii) Modeiii)Manneriv) Cause -

CIRCUMSTANTIAL HISTORY;
29. Date and time of Incident:
30. Place of Burn.:
Closed spaces----- Kitchen / bath room / living room / Varandah / corridor
/any other specify
Open space ----- Varandah /roof / field /any other- specify -----31. If Closed space
i) Whether there was any door / window present - Yes/No
ii) If yes, the door could be opened (when locked) - from inside / from outside /
imitated to be locked from inside.
iii) Whether the doors were open / locked from inside / locked from outside /
not locked but shut.
iv) If there were windows their
a) Number -----b) Size -------c) Type
v) Whether the windows were open / closed / closed & bolted from inside /
window shut

32. Source cf Fire:

Match stick / wood cooking / Gas cooking / Kerosine stove or lamp /
Petromax light / smoking in bed / Hut caught fire / fire works / sigree
for warming the room, body or hairs /explosion /unknown / any other
33. Whether there was evidence of use of any combustible substances- Yes/No
If Yes - i) Nature - Kerosine oil / petrol /' paraffin oil / any other ,
ii) Quantity
iii) Where was it lying
34. Whether any associated person caught fire during the incident If Yes - i) Number of such, person ii) Relation with the victim iii) Percentage of burn of the person/persons
iv) Evidence of struggle by victim to save himself

Yes/No

35. Whether any other article(s) in and around the body caught fire - Yes/No
If yes - give details 36. Whether any person present in the house at the time of incident - Yes/No
If Yes - i) Number of such person(s)
ii) Their relation with the deceased iii) The distance of the nearest person from the victim at the time of
incident
37. Whether the victims cried and /or screamed - Yes/No
If Yes - i) Natures
ii) Number:
iii) Durations
38. Who did first notice the incident
i) Relation with the victims
ii) What did he/she notice first - fire/smoke/cry/ any other .....
iii) At what state of fire - very high flame/low flame/ no flame/smoke only/any
other ..........
iv) State of victim dead / gasping / deep coma / semi conscious / conscious.
v) What did he / she do a) whether he/she tried to extinguish the fire Yes/No
b) whether he/she informed the policeYes/No
c) whether he/she informed the neighbourYes/No
39. Whether the victim was rescued - Yes/No
If Yes
By whom - Husband/Inlaws/Neighbours/any other people-specify.

40.When was Police informed about the incident

i) Time interval between the incident and information to the Police - Hours Days
ii) By whom Husband / In-laws / Neighbors / Parents /any other- Specify iii) Mode of information Verbal / Writing / Telephonic / any other method .........
iv) Nature of information - Accidental /suicidal / homicidal
v) Whether the Police was delaying or refusing to record F.I.R. by Parents or
relatives of victim - ---Yes/No
41. Whether any alteration was made at the scene and in the circumstances of
incident prior to arrival of the police----- Yes/No
If Yes i) Nature of alteration:
ii) By whom
iii) With what intent and motive:
42. Whether the apparels were found at the time of incidents----Yes/No
If Yes i) Nature loose / tight / partly loose or tight.
ii) Type -- Sari / Dhoti / Petticot / pant / salwar / Kurta / Any other.
iii) Material cotton / synthetic (Terene, terrylene, nylon, silk) /
semisynthetic (Terri cot) / any other

43. Was the death suicidal Yes / No / Doubtful.

i) If suicide - probable.,motive - Quarrel with mother inlaw / quarrel with
husband / quarrel with any other / unemployment / poverty / failure in
examination / frustration in love / scolding / incurable chronic diseases
/loneliness / any other - specify
ii) Did the victim leave any suicide note
If so, what was the contents-

give briefly.

iii) Letters if any expressing marital unhappiness- -------Yes / No / doubtful.

iv) Was any previous threat or Utterances or attempt of suicide- Yes / No

44. Was the death Homicidal? Yes / No / doubtful

i) If homicide - the probable motive- dowry / sterility / sexual jealousy / marital
infidelity / any other- specify ii) If any note or letter expressing apprehension of hurt or death
Yes / No / Not known
iii) If any attempt of homicide or homicidal attacks previously - Yes / No
iv) If In-laws and husband absconded after the incidenceYes / No
v) Whether parents were informed ------Yes / No
If Yes - a) after how long
b) when (in relation to the victim's condition)vi) Whether Police / relatives were having undue haste to complete autopsyYes / No
vii) If any dying declaration Yes / No / Not known
If Yes - give contents briefly-

45. Was the death accidental

- Yes / No / Doubtful

i) History of epilepsy / intoxication in the victim Yes / No / Not known.

ii) Circumstances leading to accident (account briefly)
46. If the nature of death is doubtful then what could be the most probable nature
Accident / Suicide / Homicide

TREATMENT HISTORY
47. Did the victim receive any treatment - Yes / No
If Yes i) first aid alone / hospitalized /any other- specify ii) place of treatment- private clinic / P.H.C./ District hospital /
Medical college hospital / any other
iii) If hospitalized----date and time of admission.
iv) Time interval between incident and the commencement of the
treatment ---Hours ------ Days
If prolonged - give reason v) Duration of treatmentvi) Treatment received- fluids / antibiotics / G.V.paints / skin grafting
/ any other- specifyvii) Duration of survival of the victim48. Place of death spot / way to hospital / in the hospital / any other place / unknown
49. Date and time of death:

POST-MORTEM EXAMINATION;
50. External appearances:
i) Whether any clothings present or not,
If present,
a) original / changed
b) whether any tear / blood stain / any other
c) whether any smell of kerosene oil Yes / No
d) clothing intact / burnt / partial burnt
ii) Any other article in the body- Extra piece of cloth / Bangles / ring / chain /
any other
iii) whether any ligature mark on limbs or neck - Yes / No
iv) Other ante mortem injuries abrasion / contusion / laceration / gunshot /
stab wound / fracture.
v) Age of the other ante mortem injuries --- same age / different age
vi) Any evidence of smothering / throttling / hanging / strangulation etc.-Yes / No
vii) Heat effects
a) singeing / burning of hairs.
b) sooty blackening /charring of body.
c) heat rupture
d) heat fracture
e) body cavity exposed
f) pugilistic attitude

viii) Site, distribution and extent, degree and depth of burn:

Head

Chest
.- Ventral
- Dorsal
R.L.L
-Buttock
- Flexor
-Extensor

Face

Neck
- Ventral
- Dorsal
- Sides

Abdomen
- Ventral
- Dorsal

R.U.L
- Shoulder
- Flexor
- Extensor

L.U.L
- Shoulder
- Flexor
- Extensor

Genitalia Total percentage of burn Degree of burn 1st degree

L.L.L
-Buttock
- Flexor
-Extensor

2nd degree

3rd degree

ix) Complications - secondary infection / Tetanus / Gas Gangrene /Scarring /

contracture / disfigurement of face / loss of vision / any other.

x) whether the burns were antemortem or postmortem or both

a) line of rednessb) Contents

c) Base d) Vital reaction
e) Soot in the respi
ratory & g.i. tract
f) Gastric erosion &
curling's ulcer
g) CO in blood
h) Enzymes

Ante mortem Burn

Post mortem burn

Present
Serous fluid with high
proportion of protein and
and chloride chloride
Inflamed with swollen
papillae
Present
Present

Absent
Air but no protein

Present

Absent

>5 - 10%
The peripheral area of
the heat damage shows
an increase in enzyme
reaction

< 5 - 10%
Peripheral zone
does not show and
increase in enzyme
reaction.

xi) whether there is any evidence of sexual assault---Give Briefly-------

Dry, hard and yellow

Absent
Absent

51.INTERNAL APPEARANCE:
i) Exploration of - Injuries discovered on external exam.
- Injuries caused by falling objects.
- Tissue and cartilage of neck and hyoid.
ii) Skull and Braina) Heat fractures of skull bones- present / absent
b) Intracranial haemorrhage & injury - present/absent
If present, then- type
- extra dural
- sub-dural
- sub-arachnoid
- any other.
iii) Respiratory tract (Larynx, Trachea & Bronchi) Normal / congested /
contain soot particles /any other changes
iv) Lunqs (Left & Right) -- Normal / congested / serous effusion / infection
/ other changes.

v) Stomach a) contents
b) soot particles
c) gastric erosions
d) poisons
vi) Curling's ulcer present / absent
vii) Liver normal / congested / other changes
viii) Spleen Normal /congested /other changes
ix) Kidney (Right & Left) -- Normal /congested /other changes
x) Adrenal gland (Right & Left) --xi) Colour of Blood -----xii) Uterus ----Product of conception
52. CAUSE OF DEATH ----