Delayed discovery of body may hamper investigations

18 January,2014 09:59 AM IST |   |  Vinod Kumar Menon

The delayed discovery of Esther Anuhya's body could make it difficult for sleuths to determine the nature of events that led to her death, say experts


A panel of forensic surgeons attached to the Department of Forensics Medicine and Toxicology of the Grant Medical College and JJ Group of hospitals, conducted the autopsy of Esther Anuhya's remains, in a procedure that lasted from 10 am to 12 noon yesterday. The entire procedure was recorded on still and video cameras. The body was badly decomposed, which made it difficult for forensics experts to find clues about the circumstances that led to her death, an expert admitted. Bites were visible at various parts of the body.

The face had blackened and a few ribs had been exposed. A contusion injury was seen on her head. As the skin had peeled off, it was not possible to look out for any clues to ascertain any bodily injuries, marks or ligatures. Her relatives could only tell it was her with the help of the gold ring that they found on the body and the T-shirt that she had been wearing. The clothes have been sent to the Forensics Science laboratory, Kalina. However, the police panchnama had no mention of her undergarments.

"We have collected the nail samples and have even sent the vaginal swab for chemical analysis. A tooth and her femur bone have been sent for DNA analysis. However, the cause of death has not been recorded yet," said a surgeon. "We have missed out crucial pieces of evidence due to the delay in tracing her. Had it been done earlier, we could have collected a lot of forensic evidence that would have helped nail the culprit and fix the circumstances that led to the death," the expert said.

TCS grieves for ‘hard-working' Esther
A spokesperson from TCS said, "Esther was an excellent team member and a hard-working professional, someone her team leader could unquestionably depend on. Her untimely death has been a terrible shock to all of us and our thoughts and prayers go out to the family in this hour of grief." Meanwhile, some of Esther's immediate team members requested for some leave, so that they could meet Esther's parents in Mumbai and convey their condolences.

In the wake of the shocking incident, TCS undertook certain safety initiatives, which included the formation of help groups among employees, members of which can reach out to each other in case of any emergency. Also, safety tips were given to new recruits and existing staff.

"Exciting news! Mid-day is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
Related Stories