KUMJ | VOL. 21 | NO. 4 | ISSUE 84 | OCTOBER - DECEMBER, 2023

Custodial Death
Singh PK, Karki A

Abstract:
The authors report a case of death of 16 years old boy in custody of a rehabilitation center. The young boy was taken to hospital for some health issues after severe torture where he was declared dead and brought for medicolegal autopsy under the requisition of investigating authority. Autopsy examination revealed multiple abrasions and intradermal contusions of ante-mortem origin and fresh at the time of death on various parts of the body including intradermal contusions on bilateral soles, subscalpal hematoma, subdural with minimal subarachnoid haemorrhages were observed. Histo-pathological examination of bilateral kidneys revealed features of acute tubular necrosis which is due to release of myoglobin as result of skeletal muscle necrosis sustained due to repeated blunt force trauma. The cause of death was attributed to head injury. Deceased was tortured by hitting over soles which is also known as falanga, and the second most common form of torture after beating the body. The fatal maltreatment and death of people who are detained against their will often raises controversy therefore nonpartisan information on cause of death is required to conclude that human rights were abused. So, medicolegal autopsy provides scientific basis for the occurrence of injury and establishing cause of death.
Keyword : Autopsy, Custodial death, Necrosis, Torture