Pictorial Forensic Pathology & Toxicology – A Colour Atlas Released

Panaji: A compilation of over 500 photographs of both common and rare findings of post mortems, published in a new book titled 'Pictorial Forensic Pathology & Toxicology – A Colour Atlas', was released here recently.

Authored by Dr. Pannag S Kumar, the book aimed at benefitting Police, legal and other personnel involved in investigations of unnatural deaths was released by the then Director-General of Goa Police Dr. Indradev Shukla on March 8. The DGP retired on March 31.

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Kumar, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology of the Goa Medical College, has conducted more than 2000 medico-legal autopsies. He has deposed as a Medical Expert Witness in the courts of law across Goa and in neighbouring states and is a resource person for the training of officers of Goa Police and other stakeholders in the area of "woman and child protection" in association with the Victim Assistance Unit of Goa State.

At the launch function, Dr. Indradev Shukla congratulated Dr. Kumar for his hard work in authoring the book which has been well written in a style that can be easily understood by anyone and that the book would help strengthen the criminal justice system.

Book Features

• More than 500 photographs of medico-legal post mortem examination work.
• Extremely rare cases such as:
  • Death due to accidental administration of hot water enema.
  • Agonal intussusception.
  • Suicide by suffocation using a plastic bag.
  • Pufferfish poisoning.
  • Splenic cyst.
  • "Thalidomide babies".
  • Congenital bilateral polycystic kidneys.
  • Unusual circumstances in which bodies are found such as the drowning of an adult in a bucket.
  • Unusual injuries caused by odd objects such as bull horn, choking by fish, rare congenital ambiguous genitalia.
• Photos of venomous and nonvenomous snakes of Goa by Benhail Antao, a noted and acclaimed wildlife rescuer and conservator, and Wildlife warden.
• Photos of unusual states of rigor mortis, predation by animals, artefactual findings which are misleading to the untrained eye, findings resembling injuries but are actually not, homicidal injuries, cases of mutilation of bodies, weapons of assault, peculiar ligature mark seen in hanging cases, cases of strangulation, drowning, assault, various internal injuries, various natural diseases in different organs, cancers, rare infections, death during childbirth and infant deaths, decomposed bodies, cases of burns, charred remains, electrocution, skeletal remains, acid attacks, infanticide, and poisonous plants.

Among those who attended the book launch function include former Principal District and Sessions Judge, Goa and present Member of Goa State Human Rights Commission Desmond D' Costa, the Director of Prosecution of Goa Theodolinda Sarojini Sardinha and Dr. Shivanand M Bandekar- Dean of GMC.

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