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A bundle of bones, packed in a gunny bag, was detected by the villagers in a jungle situated in Bankura, West Bengal. After thorough autopsy, it revealed that the bones belonged to a male person aged 25+2 years of stature 167.5 ± 5 cm. It also revealed that the person was a chronic smoker and his cause of death was head injury, probably homicidal in nature. Subsequent investigation by police unveiled a gruesome incidence of killing a man by his wife and her paramour. [J Indian Med Assoc 2007; 105: 79-81]
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Key words : Bones, homicide.
A gunny bag, tied to a high branch of a banyan tree, had been noticed by villagers on 04-03-2004 deep
into a jungle of Bandhkana, Bankura, West Bengal. They brought it down and after opening, they noticed some human bones with little soft tissue being attached. Police of Beliatore PS, Bankura, was informed and they started a suo moto case of unnatural death. Subsequently, the bag was brought to the BSMC police morgue for postmortem examination.
Examination Proper
The human bones were found which were arranged in proper anatomical disposition. There was no supernumerary bone. Little soft tissues were found adherent to the bones, especially to those of the upper and lower extremities, and to some vertebrae. They were submerged overnight in water after carefully excluding any soft tissue injury (none found). Then the extremely decomposed soft tissues were detached from the brittle bones. Some bones were missing. It was evident that the bones had been separated by natural process of postmortem separation.
There was evidence of postmortem gnawing and mutilation at places.
All the bones predominantly showed characteristics of male sex.
The bones present had the following findings :
(1) Skull — The architecture was rugged with prominent muscular ridges. Frontonasal junction was distinctly angulated, glabella prominent and forehead steep. Orbits were squarish. Orbital margins were rounded. Zygomatic arch was prominent, mastoid processes were round and blunt. Digastric groove was deep. All 16 permanent teeth of the upper jaw were present loosely in the respective sockets including 3 permanent molar teeth in each quadrant. Second premolar tooth was seen to be erupted medially to the 1st premolar tooth at the right side, placing these two teeth on the same transverse line. Tobacco (brownish black) stains were present at the back of the teeth. Attrition ‘+’. Basiocciput and basisphenoid were fused with each other in the recent past (fuses at 20-22 years). Fusion did not start at any other cranial suture, either ectocranially or endocranially, except the metopic suture, which was fused (fuses at 2-6 years).
Skull injuries detected as : Depressed comminuted fracture, measuring 5.5cm x 4.5cm in both tables near the vertex, comprising the frontal bone and both parietal bones. Depressed comminuted fracture, measuring 7.7cm x 3.2cm in both tables of both parietal bones and the occipital bone. Fracture of right zygomatic bone near the right malar prominence (Fig 1). Linear fracture, 4cm in length of the anterior aspect of the right maxilla, the fracture line being placed obliquely (Fig 1). All these fractures were associated with reddish staining like that of blood in and around; which could not be washed off by running water.
(2) Right half of the mandible — It contained 8 sockets, including that of the right lower 3rd molar tooth. Mental foramen was placed just lower to the midpoint between the lower margin and alveolar margin. Outer angle between the body and the ramus (anatomical angle) was everted. Inner angle between the body and the ramus (medicolegal angle) was about 100o. Condyloid and coronoid processes were more or less at the same level. It fitted with the right temporal bone at the right temporomandibular joint anatomically and snugly.
(3) Left clavicle — Centre of ossification for the medial end had appeared and fused with the respective diaphysis. It fitted with the manubrium at the left sternoclavicular joint anatomically and snugly.
(4) Sternum — All the body segments were fused with one another, the 1st and 2nd being fused in recent past (fuses below upwards from 14 to 25 years). Manubrium did not fuse with the body of sternum (fuses at about 60 years). Xiphoid process is missing without any evidence of postmortem gnawing at the corresponding part. Hence, it can be concluded that xiphoid did not fuse with the body of sternum (fuses at about 40 years). Length of the manubrium 9.7cm, length of the body except xiphoid 25.7cm.
(5) All 12 ribs of the left side and 11 ribs of the right side (right 5th rib missing) — Anterior parts of left 7-9th and right 7-8th ribs were missing. No costal cartilage was present. They fitted with the respective vertebrae at the corresponding costovertebral joints anatomically and snugly.
(6) Right scapula — Ossification centres for the tip of the coracoid (appearance at 10 -11 years, fusion at 16 years) and angle of coracoid (appearance at 10 -14 years, fusion at 17-18 years) appeared and fused with the corresponding parts. Fitted with the right humerus at right glenohumeral joint anatomically and snugly.
(7) 2-12th thoracic vertebrae — Fitted with one another and with respective ribs anatomically and snugly.
(8) L1–L5 vertebrae, sacrum and hip bones (all articulated together) — Surface of the pelvis was rough with marked muscular attachments. Subpubic angle was about 75o. Ischial tuberosity was not everted. There was no pre-auricular sulcus. Greater sciatic notch was narrow and deep. Acetabulum was large and directed laterally. Sacro-iliac articulation extended to 3rd sacral vertebra. Corporobasal index [breadth of the 1st sacral vertebra (46mm)/ breadth of the base of sacrum (97mm) x 100 = 47.42]. Sacral index [breadth of the sacrum measured between the most anterior points of the promontory (106mm)/anterior length of the sacrum (115mm) x 100 = 92.17]. Ossification centres for the iliac crests (appearance at 17 years, fusion at 19-20 years), ischial tuberosities (appearance at 16-18 years, fusion at 20 years) appeared and fused with the respective portions of the hip bone. All the segments of the sacrum were united (fuses below upwards from 21 to 25 years), the 1st and 2nd segments being fused in recent past. L1 fitted with T12 anatomically and snugly. Acetabular cavities fitted with the head of the femurs anatomically and snugly. No anterior lipping or osteo-arthritic change could be detected. The symphyseal surfaces of the pubis were not much irregular. Granularity started to appear. Ventral and dorsal margins were more or less defined.
(9) Humerii, radii and ulnae of both sides — Ossification centres for lateral epicondyles (appearance at 12 years, fusion at 11-16 years), medial epicondyles (appearance at 7 years, fusion at 16 years), head of radii (appearance at 8 years, fusion at 16 years), distal ends of the radii (appearance at 1 year, fusion at 16-17 years), olecranon processes of the ulnae (appearance at 11-13 years, fusion at 17 years), and distal ends of the ulnae (appearance at 10-11 years, fusion at 18 years) appeared and fused with the respective diaphyses. Length of the right humerus was 30.7cm, right radius was 24.2cm and right ulna was 27.2cm (maximum length measured between the flat surfaces). They fitted with one another at the corresponding joints anatomically and snugly. Right humerus fitted with the right scapula.
(10) Femurs, tibiae and fibulae of both sides — Ossification centres for the head, greater trochanter, lesser trochanter and distal ends of the femurs (fusion at 16 -17 years, 17 years, 15 -17 years and 14 -17 years respectively); proximal and distal ends of tibia (fusion at 15 -17 years and 16 years respectively); and proximal and distal ends of the fibula (both fuse at 14 -16 years) appeared and fused with the respective diaphyses. Length of the right femur was 44.5cm and that of tibia was 37.7cm (maximum length measured between the flat surfaces). Length of fibula had not been measured (not being a weight-bearing bone, its length does not provide reliable data about stature). They fitted with one another at the corresponding joints anatomically and snugly. Head of the femurs fitted with the acetabular cavities of the hip bones.
Inference
(1) All bones were human, as evident from our knowledge of anatomy. (2) All belonged to the same human individual. (3) The deceased person was male. (4) Age was around 25 ± 2 years. (5) The person was a smoker. (6) Stature of the person was 167.5cm ± 2cm. (7) Cause of death was head injury, probably homicidal in nature. (8) Time of death was beyond 7 days prior to the autopsy.
Further Investigations
After the findings were recorded, the skull was sent to the State Forensic Science Laboratory alongwith the photograph of a person, who was reported to be missing. But, superimposition could not be carried out as there were evidences of some gnawing, etc, in the skull (incomplete nature of the skull). Toxicological analysis of the bones yielded negative results. Finally, blood of the parents of the missing person, alongwith teeth and portion of femur of the deceased were sent to the Central Forensic Science Laboratory for DNA fingerprinting. Fortunately, the results were positive, thus establishing the identity of the deceased person.
Facts Recovered by the Police
Police carried out an intense search for establishment of identity of the deceased. The personal profile matched with a missing male person of 26 years, last seen living in the evening of 20-2-2004 by his mother. On that day, he, an antisocial, had an altercation with one of his gang members, who was having an illicit affair with the wife of the deceased. Another fellow gang member, who also was an accomplice in the murder, planned by the wife and her paramour, confirmed these facts. They killed him after midnight by an iron rod and a big heavy stone used in the kitchen for grinding of spices (locally known as shil-nora). After banging his head by the stone several times, they disposed the body in the deeper parts of Bandhkana forest, about 1 km away from the scene of the crime. The body was lying there undiscovered for 1-2 days. After this period, the miscreants went to the jungle and found that immense amount of foul smell was coming out from it. So they put the body in a gunny bag and in a hurry, tied it on a high branch of a banyan tree. They had a plan of disposing it further away or burying it afterwards, but somehow they had some kind of fight between themselves and the plan was not carried out. After trial, all the offenders have been sentenced for life.
Department of FSM, RG Kar Medical College, Kolkata 700004
*MBBS, MD, Assistant Professor
**MBBS, MD, Professor
***MBBS, DFM, MD, Professor and Head of the Department
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