Dr. Virendra Kumar

1

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

2
Dowry Deaths (Bride
Burning) In India
3

• 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

4

• Introduction

5

• 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/-

6

• 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

7
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/-
8

• As per the Dowry Prohibition Act 1961, Dowry is
• Any property or valuable security given or agreed
  to be given either directly or indirectly
• 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/-

9
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/-
10

• Dowry Deaths has been defined in under Sec. 304 B
  of IPC as
• When the death of a woman is caused by anyburns
  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.

11
2. Whoever commits dowry deaths shall be punished
by imprisonment for no less than seven years, but
which may extend to life imprisonment.
12
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 imprisonment of either description for a
term which may extend to ten years, and shall
also be liable to fine.


Contd/-
13
(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.
14
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. 
15
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.
16
Methods used for Homicide or Suicide in
Women Burning --- bride burning Poisoning Hanging
Strangulation Head Injuries Miscellaneous
17
Bride Burning No specific definition of bride
burning May be suicidal or homicidal
18
Why Bride Burning?
19
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/-
20

• Various reasons for sati has been suggested-
• 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
  behind
• him
• 
  
  Contd/-

21

• The Greeks surmised that the real reason 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.
• 
  
  Contd/-

22

• 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
• estate that the widow would otherwise
• have held for life
• 
  
  Contd/-

23
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
24

• 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

25
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26
Material and Methods
27
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 confined to the cases of flame burns
only
28
Methods I Data Collection II
Epidemiological Features III Nature of
Injury IV Medico legal Aspects V Exclusion
and Inclusion Methods
29
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.
30

• 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.

31
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
32
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.
33
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
34
III. Nature of Injury A Burn Injuries a)
size of the burnt area b) site of body
injured c) whether ante mortem or
postmortem burn d) fatal period e)
External Postmortem finding ---
Kerosene oil smell Singeing of
hairs Sooty blackening
Pugilistic attitudes Heat
fractures etc...
35
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
36
IV. Medico legal Aspects A Nature -
Homicidal, suicidal or accidental. B Motives in
suicidal and homicidal cases. C Information to
parents. D Information to police - by husband,
in laws, parents or neighbours etc
37

• 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.

38

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

39

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

40

• Challenges in Data Collection
• 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/-

41

• 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

42

• Other Sources of data collection
• (Not used in authors
  study)
• Accident Emergency
• Police records
• NGOs
• Local Panchayats or Mothers group
• Community based studies
•  

43
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,  
44

• 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/-

45
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.  
46
The Haddon's Matrix

• 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/-

47
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48

• 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.

49
Inference of
Study
50

• 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.

51
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52

• 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).

53

• 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.

54

• 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.

55

• 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.

56

• 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.

57

• 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.

58

• 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).

59

• 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.

60

• 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)
  .

61

• 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.

62

• 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.

63

• 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.

64

• 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.

65

• 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
  1-10 days before their death and 22(18.03)
  victims had treatment for more than 10 days but
  could not saved.

66

• 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.

67

• 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)

68

• 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.

69

• 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

70

• 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.

71
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.
72
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.
73

ANNEXURE - I PROFORMA OF RESEARCH
74
A STUDY OF BURNT MARRIED FEMALES IN
MEDICOLEGAL AUTOPSIES 1. Age Year
Months Days 2. Victims
Religion Caste Culture 3.
Husband's Religions Caste Culture 4.
Education of Victim 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.
75
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
76
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
77
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
78
FAMILY HISTORY 23. Family Nuclear
family/Joint family/Three generation family 24.
Size of the 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.
28. Was ever any suspicious death of women in the
family- Yes/No If Yes - then what was the
i) Nature- ii) Mode- iii)Manner-
iv) Cause -
79
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
80
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
- Yes/No 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
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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 police-
Yes/No c) whether he/she informed the
neighbour- Yes/No 39. Whether the victim was
rescued - Yes/No If Yes By whom -
Husband/Inlaws/Neighbours/any other
people-specify.
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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
83

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

84
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 incidence- Yes /
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 autopsy-
Yes / No vii) If any dying declaration
Yes / No / Not known If Yes - give contents
briefly-
85
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
86
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 treatment- vi)
Treatment received- fluids / antibiotics /
G.V.paints / skin grafting
/ any other- specify-
vii) Duration of survival of the
victim- 48. Place of death spot / way to
hospital / in the hospital / any other place /
unknown 49. Date and time of death
87
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
88
viii) Site, distribution and extent, degree and
depth of burn Head Face
Neck - Ventral - Dorsal -
Sides Chest Abdomen
R.U.L .- Ventral -
Ventral - Shoulder - Dorsal -
Dorsal - Flexor -
Extensor R.L.L L.U.L
L.L.L -Buttock
- Shoulder
-Buttock - Flexor - Flexor
- Flexor -Extensor
- Extensor
-Extensor Genitalia - Total percentage of burn
- Degree of burn - 1st degree 2nd degree
3rd degree ix) Complications - secondary
infection / Tetanus / Gas Gangrene /Scarring /
contracture / disfigurement of face / loss
of vision / any other.
89
x) whether the burns were antemortem or
postmortem or both
Ante mortem
Burn Post mortem burn a) line of redness-
Present Absent b) Contents Serous
fluid with high Air but no
protein proportion of protein and and
chloride chloride c) Base - Inflamed with
swollen Dry, hard and yellow papillae d)
Vital reaction
Present Absent e) Soot in the respi
Present Absent ratory g.i.
tract f) Gastric erosion
Present Absent curling's ulcer g) CO in
blood 5 - 10
peripheral area of Peripheral zone the heat
damage shows does not show and
an increase in enzyme
increase in enzyme reaction
reaction. xi) whether there is any evidence of
sexual assault---- Give Briefly-------
90
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 Brain-
a) 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.
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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 ----