Port Blair, June 01: With the commencement of Andaman & Nicobar Islands Institute of Medical Sciences, Port Blair, several departments have been established under it and one such department is the Department of Forensic Medicine.
Forensic Medicine Department with its intrinsic expertise is extending all the help and cooperation to the A & N Administration in providing justice and maintenance of law & order, there by promoting peace & prosperity in the society.
Increase in population has led to various social problems like increased alcohol abuse and crime rate, necessitating the availability of a well and smoothly functioning Criminal justice system, which in turn helps in maintaining the law and order in the society. Forensic Medicine department examines and opines on the medico legal cases brought to the Medical College by the police such as the victims of murder, accidents, suicidal deaths, sexual assault & other police cases where foul play is suspected. These cases are examined very systematically and diligently, all incriminating evidences are collected and all the findings are properly documented. Subsequently a proper report is prepared and a copy of it is handed over to the police, which is then, produced in the court as an evidence. Besides this report, various queries, whether a given case is a murder or not?, whether it’s a case of sexual assault or not, are also answered in a scientific manner, so as to help the police and the judiciary in proper delivery of justice.
Department of Forensic Medicine, ANIIMS has taken over the onerous task of conducting Medico Legal post mortem examinations since July 2015. With the expertise available at its command, department of Forensic Medicine is now handing over the post mortem reports in a properly printed performa in a day or two only.
Not only has the quality and timely reporting of PM reports has helped the Andaman Police, the Forensic Medicine department is also actively helping the Andaman Police in many other ways eg. Several expert opinions are given, that have helped in solving various types of cases. Besides, multiple training sessions have been conducted by the faculty of Forensic Medicine department of ANIIMS at Police training School, Prothrapur on a variety of topics, thus enabling the Andaman police to perform better.
Capacity to preserve the dead bodies in cold storage facility of GB Pant Hospital Mortuary has been doubled. Post Mortem examination tables have been increased to 3. Separate AC room for conducting inquest is now a reality. Embalming of dead bodies is performed on an average of 6 bodies/month, with provision of necessary documents for air lifting.
Forensic Medicine department is equipped with an exclusive library, Forensic Museum containing models, wet specimens, toxicology specimens, weapons, firearms, bones etc. for the use of Medical students, Police officials, judiciary and the public with proper authorization.
Public is being benefitted with the use of quality departmental services. Free clothing and preservation for dead bodies is well appreciated by the public. If bodies are to be taken to mainland, such bodies are treated with necessary chemicals (embalming) & handed over to the relative with necessary documents for air lifting.
Forensic Medicine department uses every opportunity to update the doctors of GB Pant hospital, as well as the doctors of various PHCs and CHCs of Andaman Nicobar Islands, about the medico-legal examinations and procedures. It will continue to help the Andaman Police whenever they seek medical opinion in solving crimes, thus helping the community getting the timely justice.
