Surgeons who did the post-mortem on the body of accountant P. Palanisamy, who worked at the homoeopathy college of "lottery king" Santiago Martin, are awaiting the result of a diatom test to ascertain the cause of death.
The accountant was found dead in a pond near Karamadai in Coimbatore on May 5 on the heels of an Income-Tax raid against Martin.
Suspecting foul play, Martin’s family has not accepted the body even nine days after the post-mortem was done.
The body was autopsied by a panel of doctors at the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital, two days after the man was found dead.
The Madras High Court is scheduled to hear a plea by the family of the accountant seeking a fresh post-mortem.
Cross-matching
The diatom test involves cross-matching of diatoms and microscopic algae, found in the samples collected from the body with the samples lifted from the scene of crime — here Velliangadu Kuttai pond near Karamadai.
Coimbatore District Superintendent of Police Sujit Kumar said the surgeons were waiting for the results of diatom test and examination of the viscera samples sent to a Government forensic laboratory.
“Diatom test is a very reliable one that can enlighten the surgeons on the exact cause of death,” he said.
If a person is alive while entering the water body, the diatoms will go to different parts of the body, including kidneys, brain and bone marrow, through the lungs when he or she aspirates water. This circulation of diatoms will not occur if a body is dumped in water.
Though visits by the scientific team of the Rural Police found that the pond was shallow, the team has said partial drowning is possible.
According to forensic experts, partial drowning could be a cause of death when persons fall into shallow water face down in a semi-conscious or inebriated state, among other conditions.
