A senior forensic expert from the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences here on Sunday pointed out ambiguities in the autopsy report of journalist Nirupama Pathak, suspected to have been a victim of honour killing. He sought setting up of a medical board for further probe.
“I have gone through the post-mortem report on the basis of which I am neither ruling out smothering nor ruling out suicidal attempt. There is a need for further investigation,” said Sudhir Gupta, Associate Professor, forensic medicine, AIIMS.
He said the Jharkhand and Delhi police had sought his views on the report.
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“By going through the details of the reports prepared by the Koderma doctors, there are findings which say there are ligature marks [on the neck]. These ligature marks are generally seen in hanging.”
“In my opinion, neither can I conform that the cause of asphyxia is due to smothering nor I am rejecting the cause of asphyxia as a result of hanging, which is suicidal in nature,” he said.
“I neither have rejected the theory of suicide nor I have accepted the theory of homicide. It required a further deliberate discussion and forensic examination concluding the case,” the expert said.
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He called for a forensic analysis of the deceased's clothes, the pillow she used as well the scene of crime and blood stain.
Nirupama, 22, was found dead at her home in Jharkhand's Koderma district on April 29. The post-mortem report said Nirupama was smothered to death.
While Nirupama's mother Subha Pathak was arrested on charges of killing her, the Koderma police filed a case against her journalist boyfriend Priyabanshu Ranjan for abetment to suicide.
Meanwhile, in Jharkhand, Ms. Subha Pathak was released on parole for three days to attend the ‘shradh' rituals of her daughter. Koderma jail Superintendent Martin Ranjan said she was allowed to go to her Jhumritilaya home to attend the rituals following permission given by a local court.