Skeletons Can Reveal Facts on Age, Gender, Cause of Death

SKELETONS can give significant leads on age, gender, stature, and cause of death in medico-legal cases to forensic anthropologists, provided they are intact and well-preserved.

- BALA CHAUHAN @ Bengaluru

SKELETONS can give significant leads on age, gender, stature, and cause of death in medico-legal cases to forensic anthropologists, provided they are intact and well-preserved. TNIE spoke to some leading forensic medicine experts on the science of forensic anthropology, in the wake of the alleged Dharmasthala mass burial case.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case found some skeletal remains in the sixth burial site identified by the witness-complainant. The same was sent for forensic examination. "The process will take a few days to a few weeks to examine the bones. Further, it will be sent to a forensic science laboratory for DNA profiling. It may take some time, depending on several factors, including the age and condition of the skeleton," said Dr Verghese PS, leading forensic expert and chief medical officer, St John's Medical College Hospital.