BHOPAL:On January 9, 2012, a panel of three doctors had written in the post mortem report of Namrata Damore - at that time unidentified - that she had died due to “violent asphyxia as a result of smothering, findings suggestive of homicide.”
Namrata’s death has been one of the most curious cases of the entire Vyapam scam where for the first time evidence pointed towards a murder. Though over 45 people linked to the case have died so far, no conclusive evidence of murder were ever found by the police. Namrata’s case too was closed by the police saying it was a case of suicide.
The post-mortem of Namrata, who was a second year medical student at Indore, was prepared by three doctors - Dr B B Purohit, forensic medicine medical officer, Dr O P Gupta, senior medical officer, and Dr Anita Joshi, gynaecologist, attached to the District Hospital at Ujjain.
In their post mortem report they wrote, “There were three superficial lacerating injuries on forehead, with extensive grazing marks on body. Examinations also revealed whitish viscous fluid, and hymen was found ruptured.”
Doctors also listed crescentic abrasions evident on nose and upper lip, suggesting forcible closing of the victim’s mouth. All these injuries were inflicted while the girl was still alive. Later, the Regional Forensic Science Laboratories (RFSL), Gwalior, found traces of sperm on the vaginal smear slide prepared by the doctors. However, the police went by the opinion from a forensic expert Dr D S Badkur, Director of state run Medico Legal Institute, who ruled Namrata’s death as a suicide. Namrata went missing on January 7 and her family filed a missing person report on January 12. Her brother came to know of her sister’s fate through the posters of the deceased put up by the police. A murder case was registered on January 30. However, a month later, a forensic opinion was sought which said it was suicide, ruling out the post mortem report. The girl’s parents had alleged that Namrata’s phone was found with one co-passenger and had also approached the High Court for further investigations, but the police stuck to their stand.
Government sources said investigations had revealed that Namrata had boarded the train with the intention of committing suicide as she was travelling without any luggage, a fact confirmed by a co-passenger. She jumped from the Narbada Express, government officials said.