KOTTAYAM: The government has ordered a third round inquiry into the forensic lapses in the Soumya murder case. JDME K Sreekumari will conduct the inquiry.
The probe has been ordered as part of completing the departmental disciplinary proceedings against associate professor A K Unmesh, who had commenced the autopsy procedure along with assistant professor Rajendra Prasad at the Thrissur Government Medical College.
However, as per the documents in possession of Express, the final report of the autopsy was prepared and presented in the court by a forensic doctor, who was partially present in the autopsy procedures.
The government has ordered a third round inquiry into the forensic lapses in the Soumya murder case. JDME K Sreekumari will conduct the inquiry.
The probe has been ordered as part of completing the departmental disciplinary proceedings against associate professor A K Unmesh, who had commenced the autopsy procedure along with assistant professor Rajendra Prasad at the Thrissur Government Medical College.
However, as per the documents in possession of Express, the final report of the autopsy was prepared and presented in the court by a forensic doctor, who was partially present in the autopsy procedures.
Dr Sherly Vasu, the then head of the Department of Forensic Medicine, GMC, Thrissur, who prepared the final report and appeared in the court, had reached the autopsy room 20-30 minutes after the commencement of the post-mortem proceedings. This has raised questions on the validity of her submission before the apex court regarding the post-mortem. Another major loophole from the Forensic side was that Sherly Vasu had added some additional points in the work report, prepared by Unmesh and Rajendra Prasad, which weakened Forensic findings.
It was by late evening of February 6, 2011 that the body of Soumya was brought to GMC, Thrissur, and the post-mortem was conducted from 7 am to 9 am the following day. In the statements of the persons, who had been present during the autopsy, it was clear that proceedings were commenced by Unmesh and Rajendra Prasad, in the presence of P S Sanjay and lecturer trainee T P Anand at 7 am and Sherly Vasu joined only by 7.20 or 7.30 am. Rajendra Prasad clearly stated that autopsy was conducted by Unmesh and he was assisting him. He said Sherly Vasu joined the process by 7.20 am and gave suggestions.
In the initial work reported prepared by Unmesh and Rajendra Prasad, it was stated that “Death was due to blunt injury sustained to head. There were injuries suggestive of sexual assault.” However, the HOD made an additional observation that “the decedent had died due to blunt injuries sustained to head as a result of blunt impact and fall and their complications including aspiration of blood into air passages resulting in anoxic brain damage.”
The term “fall” created confusion whether Soumya jumped off or was thrown off from the train, which offered a benefit of doubt for the accused. At the same time, aspiration in blood to air passages was also became a loophole in proving the culpability of the accused for the offence punishable under Section IPC 302 (murder).