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GOVERNMENT OF TAMILNADU

ABSTRACT

Post Mortem Report Form – Adoption of Model Autopsy forms and

change of inquest procedure in death in custody cases – Orders
issued.
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HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT

G.O.Ms.No. 91 Dated 4.3.1998

Easwara, Masi 20
Tiruvalluvar Andu, 2028.

Read:

1) From the Secretary General, National Human Rights

Commission, New Delhi, letter dt.29.8.1997.

2) From the Secretary, Public Department, D.O.

letter No.6744/L&O.A/97-2, dated.10.11.1997.

3) From the Director of Medical Education, D.O.

letter No.101876/G2/97, dated.18.12.1997.

4) From the Director of Medical and Rural Health Services,

Letter No.119050/P&D.II/4/97, dt.19.12.97.

ORDER:

The Secretary General, National Human Rights Commission in

his letter first read above has stated that the Autopsy Report forms
now in use in the various States, are not comprehensive and,
therefore, do not serve the purpose and also give scope for doubt and
manipulation and that the Commission, has, therefore, decided to
revise the autopsy form to plug the loopholes and to make it more
incisive and purposeful. The Commission, after ascertaining the views
of the States and discussing with the Experts in field and taking into
consideration, though not entirely adopting the U.N. Model Autopsy
protocol, has prepared a Model Autopsy form. The Commission has
recommended the Government to prescribe the Model Autopsy Form
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and the Additional procedure for inquest to be followed in the State

with immediate effect.

2.The Director of Medical and Rural Health Services and the

Director of Medical Education have been addressed for their remarks in
the matter. The Director of Medical and Rural Health Services has
opined that the suggestions of the National Human Rights Commission
may be accepted in to. The Director of Medical Education has
suggested certain modifications in the Form.

3. After careful examination on the suggestion of the Director of

Medical Education and the Director of Medical and Rural Health
Services, the Government have decided to accept the recommendation
of National Human Rights Commission, New Delhi. Accordingly
Government direct that the Director of Medical Education/Director of
Medical and Rural Health Services/Director of Public Health and
Preventive Medicine/Director General of Police to adopt the Model
Autopsy Form and the additional procedure for inquest as appended
to this order for autopsy on deaths occurring in Jail /Police custody.

(BY ORDER OF THE GOVERNOR)

N. SUNDARADEVAN,
SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT

To
The Director of Medical Education, Chennai.5.
The Director of Medical and Rural Health Services, Chennai.6.
The Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Chennai6.
The Director General of Police, Chennai.2.

Cop to:
The Secretary to Government, Public (L&O) Department, Chennai.9.

//Forwarded by order//

Sd/-
(S. Joseph Selvaraj)

Section Officer
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MODEL POST MORTEM REPORT FORM

(Read Carefully the instructions at Appendix ‘A’)

Name of Institution---------------------------------------------------------

Post Mortem Report No------------------------------------- Date---------

Conducted by Dr------------------------------------------------------------

Date and Time of receipt of the

body and Inquest papers for Autopsy-----------------------------------

Date and Time of Commencement

of Autopsy -----------------------------------------------------------------

Time of Completion of Autopsy---------------------------------------------

Date and Time of examination of the –dead body

at Inquest (as per Inquest Report) -------------------------

Name and address of the person ------------------------------------------

Video recording the Autopsy-----------------------------------------------

Note: The tape should be duly sealed, signed and dated and sent to
the National Human Rights Commission, Sardar Patel Bhawan, Sansad
Marg, New Delhi.
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Case Particulars

1. (a) Name of deceased and

as entered in the Jail
or Police record------------------------------------------------

(b) S/O, D/O, W/O-----------------------------------------------

(c) Address --------------------------------------------------------

2. Age (Approx): ----------------- Years; Sex: Male / Female

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3. Body brought by (Name and rank of Police Officials)

(i) ---------------------------------------------------

(ii) -----------------------------------------------------

of Police Station -----------------------------------------

4. Identified by (Names and Addresses of relatives/persons

acquainted)

(i) -------------------------------------------------------

(ii) --------------------------------------------------------

HOSPITAL DEAD BODIES – (Particulars as per hospital records)

Date and time of Admission in Hospital------------------------------------

Date and time of Death in Hospital----------------------------------------

---

Central Registration No. of Hospital----------------------------------------

-

SCHEDULE OF OBSERVTIONS

A. General

(1) Height ------------------- Cms

(2) Weight ---------------------Kgs
(3) Physique
- (a) Lean/Medium/Obese
(b) Well built/Average built/ Poor–built /Emaciated

(4) Identification features (if body is unidentified)

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(i) -------------------------------------------------------

(ii) ---------------------------------------------------

(iii) Finger prints be taken on separate sheet and attached by the

Doctor

(5) Description of clothes worn – important features.

(6) Postmortem changes:

(a) As seen during inquest:

- Whether rigor mortis present--------------------------------

- Temperature ( Rectal)---------------------------------------

-Others---------------------------------------------------------

(b) As seen at Autopsy-

(7) (a) External general appearance-

(b) State of eyes

(c) Natural orifices

B. External Injuries:

(Mention Type, Shape, Length X Breadth & Depth of each injury and
its relation to important body landmark. Indicate which injuries are
fresh and which are old and their duration).

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Instructions:-

(i) Injuries be given serial number and mark similarly on the body
diagrams attached.
(ii) In stab injuries, mention state angles, margins direction inside
body
(iii) In fire arm injuries, mention about effects of fire also

Internal Examination

1. HEAD

(a) Scalp Findings

(b) Scull (Describe fractures here & show them on body diagram
enclosed)
(c) Meninges, meningeal spaces & Cerebral Vessels
(Hemorrhage & its locations, abnormal smell etc. be noted)
(d) Brain findings & Weight (Weight ------------gms)
(e) Orbital, nasal & aural cavities –findings

2. NECK

- Mouth, Tongue & Pharynx

- Larynx & Vocal cords
- Condition of neck tissues
-Thyroid & other cartilage conditions
-trachea

3. CHEST

-Ribs and Chest wall

- Oesophagus
- Trachea & Bronchial Tree
-Pleural Cavities -B-
-L-

Lungs findings & Weight Right --------------gms Left ------------gms.

-Pericardial Sac
-Heart findings & Weight
-Large blood vessels
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4. ABDOMEN

- Condition of abdominal wall

- Peritoneum and Peritoneal cavity
- Stomach (wall condition, contents & smell) (Weight ----------gms)
-Small intestines including appendix
-Large intestines & Mesenteric vessels
-Liver including gall bladder (Weight-------------gms)
- Spleen (Weight-------------gms)
-Pancreas
-Kidneys finding &Weight Right ------------gms & Left ------gms
- Bladder & Urethra
-Pelvic cavity tissues
-Pelvic Bones
-Genital organs (Note the condition of vagina, scrotum, presence of
foreign body, presence of fetus, semen or any other fluid, and
contusion, abrasion in and around genital organs)

5. SPINAL COLUMN & SPINAL CORD ( TO BE OPENED WHERE

INDICATED)

OPINION

(i) Probable time since death (keep all factors including observations
at inquest)

(ii) Cause and manner of death – The cause of death to the best of
my knowledge and belief is:-

(a) Immediate cause –

(b) Due to-
(c) Which of the injuries are ante mortem/postmortem and
duration if ante mortem?
(d) Manner of causation of injuries.
(e) Whether injuries (individually or collectively) are sufficient to
cause death in ordinary course of nature or not?

(iii) Any other

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SPECIMENS COLLECTED & HANDED OVER (PLEASE TICK)

(a) Viscera (Stomach with contents, small intestine with contents,

sample liver, kidney
(one half of each), spleen, sample of blood on gauze pie (dried),
any other viscera,
Preservative used)
(b) Clothes
(c) Photographs (video cassettes in case of custody deaths, Finger
print etc.)
(d) Foreign body (like bullet, ligature etc)
(e) Sample of preservative in cases of poisoning.
(f) Sample of seal
(g) Inquest papers (mention total numbers & initial them)
(h) Slides from vagina, semen or any other material.

PM report in original, ------------inquest papers, dead body, clothings

and other articles

(mention there )duly sealed ( Nos.-------) handed over to police official

No----------------------- of PS ----------------------------------------

whose signatures are herewith---------------------------------------------

Signature-----------------------------------

Name of Medical Officer-------------------

(in block letters)

Designation---------------------------------
SEAL
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APPENDIX –‘A’

INSTRUCTIONS TO BE FOLLOWED CAREFULLY FOR DETENTION OF

TORTURE

Sl. Torture Technique Physical Findings

No.

Beating
1 General Scars, Bruises, Lacerations, Multiple
fractures at different stages of
healing, especially in unusual
locations, which have not been
medically treated
2 To the soles of the feet , Haemorrhage in the soft tissues of
or fractures of the bones the soles of the feet in ankles
of the feet Aseptic necrosis.

3 With the palms on both Ruptured or Scarred tympanic

ears simultaneously membranes, injuries to external ear

4 On the abdomen, while Bruises on the abdomen. Back

lying on a table with the injuries. Ruptured abdominal
upper half of the body viscera
unsupported
(“operating table”)

5 To the head Cerebral cortical atrophy. Scars,

skull fractures. Bruises.
Haematomas.

Suspension
6 By the wrists Bruises scars about the wrists.
Joint injuries
7 By the arms or neck Bruises or Scars at the site of
binding . Prominent lividity in the
lower extremities.
8 By the ankles Bruises or scars about the ankles.
Joint injuries
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9 Head down, from a Bruises or scars on the anterior

horizontal pole placed forearms and backs of the knees
under the knees with marks on the wrists and ankles
the wrists bound to the
‘Jack’
10. Near Suffocation
Faecal material or other debris in
Forced immersion of the mouth pharynx, trachea,
head in often esophagus , Lungs, Intro-thoracic
contaminated “wet petecliae.
submarine”.
11 Tying of a plastic bag Intro – thoracic Petecliae
over the head ( “dry
submarine”)
Sexual abuse

12 Sexual abuse Sexually Transmitted Diseases

pregnancy injuries to breasts
external genitalia, vagina, anus or
rectum.

Forced posture

13 Prolonged standing Dependent adema, Petechias in low

extremities

14 Forced straddling of a Perineal or Scrotal haematomas

bar (“Saw horse”)

Electric shock

15 Cattle prod Burns, appearance depends on the

age of the injury. Immediately,
spots, vesicles, and /or black
exudates within a few weeks;
circular, reddish macular scars. At
several month small, white, reddish
or brown spots resembling
telangieotasian.

16 Wires connected to a
source of electricity
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17 Heated metal skewer Per-anal or rectal burns

inserted into the anus

Miscellaneous

18 Dehydration Vitreous humor electrolyte

abnormalities.
Animal bites (spiders, Bite marks
insects, rats, mice,
dogs).

//True Copy//

Sd/-
(S. Joseph Selvaraj)

Section Officer