Indian Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology

Paraphilic and violent offenses have been committed for a very long time and have just gotten increasingly dangerous over time. Although the occurrences of such offenses have come down with the progression of the society, the need to study the underlying factors of these offenses is of vital importance. Acts of necrophilia have been reported from as
early as the 15th century. Pedophilia, serial killing, and homicides, both catathymic and compulsive, are also discussed and reviewed. Te role and use of psychology has proved extremelyimportant in understanding, predicting, and potentially preventing such heinous acts from being committed. Criminal as well as forensic psychology are key to
understanding the exact intricacies of the various crimes. Te main aim of this review is to understand the underlying reason behind such heinous acts.
 

Frixion Roller Termochromic ink pens are incorporated with an erasure in each pen, which can be used to generate heat through friction which, in turn, decolourize the writings. Application of heat by other sources also have a similar effect. Termal ink has a unique characteristic which makes it disappear, when heat is applied at a specifc temperature. Due to this signifcant property of thermal ink, it is widely used for frauds. Easy availability and the unique characteristic of thermal inks attracts criminal minds and therefore increases criminal activities. Te main purpose of this research paper is to describe different properties of thermal ink along with the derivation of an easy, inexpensive and non-destructive process to restore disappeared writings. Reaction of thermochromic ink with different varieties of papers has also been examined in this paper.
 

Over long period organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs) such as Tusk, Dimex, Dysac, Sacban and Monovip contain Malathion, Dimethoate, Dichlorovos, Chlorpyrifos and Monochrotophos as active chemicals, respectively are used in agriculture to enhance the crops yield. However, these chemicals are extensively used in criminal cases such as suicidal, accidental, and homicidalthroughout the world. Such cases can conveniently be resolved with the help of spectral library as reference/standard to compare with unknown/suspected samples recovered from scene of crime. Te spectral library was generated using ATR-FTIR technique which reliable and non destructive in nature. Tis spectral library has been applied to identify the OPPs in different biological samples and investigate, characterize the OPPs.ATR-FTIR spectroscopic data are, therefore, a prerequisite for their identifcation. Finally, we believe that the use of ATR-FTIR should make it possible to identify all tested OPPs in one single analysis, even in the low ppm concentration range.
 

Earthquakes are a sign that the earth’s internal structure is changing. Seismic activity is normal in most parts of the world, but the frequency with which it occurs is determined by the tectonic setup of the region. Past earthquakes have resulted in significant loss of life and property, impacting a country’s social and economic conditions. Tough an earthquake cannot be prevented, the least that can be done to minimize damage is to make buildings earthquake-resistant. Most countries have required the inclusion of seismic requirements in building design and architecture as our understanding of earthquakes has increased. This paper aims to create a review of some earthquake-resistant tall buildings in various seismic zones in India. This study focuses on what are the different techniques adopted for these tall buildings to make them earth quake-resistant. This is a research with the approach consists of analysis from various case and literature studies and their comparison with regard to earthquake
 

Forensic genetics is an indispensable tool in forensic analysis that uses genetic evi dence in crime investigation and/or identifcation of missing individuals or victimsof mass disaster. It is highly reliable and can be used to substantiate evidence to prove the guilt or innocence of a suspect in question. Tere is paucity of data on African forensic DNA profling. Tis is partly due to lack of funding and expertise. Moreover, there are very limited forensic genetic commercial kits that incorporate markers that are specifc for African populations, markers that will provide highly specifc information on the African Y-STR markers  Terefore, the purpose of this study is to consolidate the published Y-STR data of African population for forensic and population genetic reference. Te review presents the Y-haplotype and genetic diversity of African male population. Te review dissects the data into different regions of the African continent, viz., the Northern, Southern, Eastern, Western and Central African regions
 

Touch DNA viz. trace DNA is a perfect example of Locard’s exchange principle, for mulating the basis of forensic science. It basically states that any contact betweentwo objects exchanges a trace amount of matter. Touch DNA is attained from the shed skin cells whenever a person comes in contact or touches any object. Tis kind of DNA can be found in every sample of fngerprint but its extraction is a cumbersome task in consideration of its trace amount. Tere is diversity in methods of its extraction but the main problem arises when task is to preserve fngerprint and extract DNA as well. Scientifcally, the evidentiary value of fngerprints is 100% and that of DNA is 99.9%. It becomes crucial to preserve both of them to strengthen our case. In this era of vicious and cunning criminals where evidences are obscured. Te extraction of touch DNA is practical but not practiced. Tis study aims at comparing various methods and fnding best one out. Te most appropriate method should be able to analyze the smallest possible amount of DNA in an economic way and of course leaving the fngerprint
indifferent
 

Amethod of identifying organic gunshot residue (GSR) is proposed as an alterna tive tool for unique identifcation in the forensic context. In recent trends of usesof non toxic/heavy metal free (HMF) ammunition, there must have been challenges in identifcation and detection of inorganic gunshot residue (GSR). Te organic GSR preliminary emanate from the propellant of smokeless powder. Smokeless powder consists of either single base which is composed of nitrocellulose, double base which is composed of nitrocellulose and nitroglycerine or triple base which consists of nitrocellulose, nitroglycerine and nitro-guanidine. In order to preserve and lengthen the service life of smokeless powder different additives like stabilizer, plasticizer, flash inhibitors, coolant, moderate and surface lubricants etc were used.
Trough this article review, we have summarized the study of the detection of diphenylamine (DPA), ethylcentralite (EC), methylcentralite (MC), dimethyl phthalate (DMP) and N-nitrosodiphenylamine (N-nDPA), which are generally found in the stabilizer, flash inhibitors, plasticizers and degradation products of the smokeless powder which could be separated and detected from the UPLC-MS (Ultra performance liquid chromatography – tandem mass spectrometer). Tis persistence and detection of organic GSR will be helpful for the forensic experts for testimony in a court of law.
 

Documents have played a crucial part in our day-to-day life for ages. Documents contain vital information which can have evidentiary value that can link a criminal to a crime. Sometimes, such documents get destroyed either intentionally or accidentally by means of fre, water, moisture and humidity, dyes and paints, etc. Many a times, criminals try to destroy the valuable documents by setting them on fre in order to hide their criminal activity having wrong intention. Charred document is one such case where the documents under excessive heat become carbonized, brittle and fragile.Te most perplexing problem faced in the area of arson investigation is the handling and preservation of charred documents which ultimately render the decipherment of contents written on it. Tis is due to the obvious reason, that is, its extreme fragile
and brittle nature. Researches have also pointed towards this huge challenge for questioned document examiners to potentially preserve the charred documents for further investigation. Hence, the present paper aims to highlight the ancient and the recent advanced preservation and decipherment techniques of charred documents to summarize it with their pros and cons, so that the need to enhance and develop a better new technique of preservation can be looked into.
 

Fingerprints are one of the crucial pieces of evidence in criminal investigations. As fngerprints are majorly found in latent form on the surface, it is necessary
to develop those latent fngerprints appropriately without destroying them or leaving out any detail. Tere are plenty of methods for identifying hidden fnger impressions. Te powder dusting method, ninhydrin, iodine fuming, cyanoacrylate etc., are traditional methods. Tough these procedures help to develop the latent fngerprints,
they have some drawbacks such as sensitivity, low contrast, and selectivity as well as
high toxicity. To overcome this inadequacy, advanced techniques have been developed
using different chemicals and nanoparticles such as metal nanoparticles, fluorescent
nanoparticles embedded with quantum dots, rare-earth upconversion nanoparticles
etc. Te fluorescent nanomaterials enhanced all three levels of fngerprints and provided the minute details of latent fngerprints. Tis review paper focuses on the role
of fluorescence-based methods used for the enhancement of the latent fngerprint and
their advantages over traditional methods. As compared to other approaches, fluorescent nanomaterials can obtain optimal contrast quality, enhancement, better sensitivity, and selectivity while exhibiting lower toxicity, less autofluorescence interference,
and low background inference.
 

Vijay Panchal. Latent Fingerprint
Impressions Visualisation on Different
Surfaces Using Burnt Paper Powder.
Indian J Forensic Med Pathol.
2021;14(3 Special):347-350
 

Forensic Document Examination has become more diverse, which require authen ticity or validation in determination of genuiness or non genuiness, to reveal forg--
ery, alteration, addition, deletion, and personal identifcation. Signature identifcation
is a most challenging mission in the feld of forensic questioned document examination. Its aim is to determine forged signatures by matching the unknown signature
with known signature. Signature is a handwritten deception of a person that engraves
on document as a proof of uniqueness. A person’s signature serves as a trademark. It
is generally a person’s most common writing act and such is largely habitual. Signature of a person may be constituted of only letters, or with letters as well as non-letter
patterns, or may be constituted only with non-letter patterns. In this modern computational era, computational approach to handwritten signature is more relevant due to
its accuracy, less time consumption. Tis paper efforts to give computational sofware
used for identifcation of signature samples. Te objective of the study was to identify
the natural variation occur to signature with the help of image analyzing sofware
“Digimizer”. Te efciency of the proposed method is based on results of 100 writers
with 4 signatures of each writer
 

In the feld of criminal justice, any testimony, no matter how minor or trivial, cannot be ignored, as supplementary evidence has always turned the case around. A common form of evidence is documentary proof. Document exhibits come in a number
of formats and can be handwritten, digital, or printed. Handwriting may be used as a
starting point for attempting to identify uniqueness. Different people have different
writing patterns, which is a natural act. Even if the person deliberately wants to alter,
certain characteristics are peculiar to a single person. On the basis of class and individual characters, an attempt was made to differentiate between male and female handwriting. In a case where the investigation involves handwriting, this can be a valuable
piece of supplementary evidence. It can also be used to exclude possible suspects. With
the writers using the same writing instrument and surface, over 200 samples were analyzed based on 6 parameters, and many of them yielded positive results in deciding
whether the writers were male or female. Te observation can be used as a frst step in
the feld of Graphology in terms of gender identity
 

Handwriting analysis dates back to the late 1800s when the persons with knowl edge and experience used to analyze the handwriting sample of the author. Withthe increase of knowledge of the subject and its need in the domain of justice system
handwriting analysis, it grew from being an informal subject to an academic subject.
Handwriting analysis has been readily used in forensic science investigations. It is one
of the major branches of forensic science afer fngerprint and DNA wherein maximum cases reports are sought afer. Te cases received for handwriting analysis are
from both the domains of the legal system – civil and criminal. By realizing the importance of handwriting analysis and its further implications in the feld, many researchers have tried to include the usage of computer technology for the purpose of
analysis. Tis approach still has no approval in the legal system wherein the accepted
method is the ofine or manual mode of analysis. Tis current paper is an approach to
frst explain in detail both the modes of handwriting analysis – ofine (manual) and
online (computerized). For online handwriting analysis, different approaches are also
reviewed. Along with this, a comparative analysis has been drawn between the two
approaches to study the pros and cons of both
 

Voice is a fundamental way to communicate with people in a natural atmosphere where we come across many distortions. Speaker identifcation is a new boon in
forensic science which is essential to identify a specifc speaker and that a voice cannot
be changed and it will prove that it belongs to a single individual. Some voices are
naturally or accidentally distorted whereas some are intentionally distorted to disguise
the identity of the speaker. Te disguised or distorted voices give different values than
the authentic ones. Te voices can be accidentally disguised by natural environment,
by being in a hot or cold atmosphere or deliberately by changing the accent, by keeping
hand on mouth, by pulling cheeks, by creating nasal voice etc. Te analysis of these
voice samples is done by examining using sofware like Gold Wave, Praat and SSL
(speech sound lab). Te sofware help us to examine the voice samples right from
extracting clue words to their spectral analysis which are known as spectrograms. Calculating the hash values of the samples provide another authentication to the original
samples. Hash value is an alpha-numeric value which gives unique identity to the samples. Hash value has different algorithms but MD5(Message digest) and SHA1(Secure
hash algorithm) are more reliable and secured, SHA1 being even more secured than
MD5. Te differences are made between the samples by looking at the pitch and intensity of the voice of the speakers. Te pitch of the two voice samples of the same speaker
can also be different because of the natural variation present in the speaker Voice
 

Speech science has a storied and illustrious past. Many studies are conducted for research on speech and voice acoustics, which focuses on speech. Te human voice
is our most basic and self contained instrument. When it comes to voice processing,
the source flter paradigm may be used. It’s common to think of the voice as having
two distinct processes: one that produces the initial tone and another that produces
the fnal tone. Tis is done in order to create a speaker’s identity by providing an accurate phonetic profle of that individual. Other related felds include improving low
quality audio fles and verifying disputed recordings to see whether they have been
manipulated, edited, or otherwise tampered with. In contrast, a digital recording samples the transduced waveform and transforms each sample into a binary number code
similar to that used by computers. Speech analysis was also used in the investigation
of recordings allegedly made by Osama bin Laden, the world’s most wanted terrorist.
Tis research will discuss if voice changer apps can be used to mask one’s voice. Tere
have been several instances where the perpetrator has used these apps to alter their
speech. Tis research looks at how the characteristics of any voice can be altered or
not by the use of these apps, how they function, and how they affect voice recognition.
Tis paper also examines whether these apps really assist the perpetrator in eluding
voice recognition experts.
 

he Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has been asked by the National Insti tute of Justice to investigate voice stress analysis (VSA) technology and evaluateits effectiveness for both military and law enforcement applications. Tis technology
has been marked as commercially available in computer based form, and marketed as
being capable of measuring stress and, in some systems, deception. Tis technology
is reported to be easier to use, less invasive and less constrained in its operation than
standard polygraph technology. Tis study has found the VSA technology can identify stress better than chance with performance approaching that of current polygraph
systems. However, it is not a technology that is mature enough to be used in a court of
law. We also found that experience and training improve the accuracy than less trained
individuals. Lastly, we explored how this technology may become an effective interrogation tool, when combined with polygraph technology. Tis article contains information and results of a primary work done to show how the stress changes for Mel
Frequency Cepstral Coefcient features can be detected through FFT signal processing when a person is under psychological pressure. Te principal purpose is to obtain
a tool that could help the accused to prove their innocence in an offense or a crime
 

 Ayurvedic medicine is considered to be one of the oldest medical systems in the world, and it is based on the ancient Indian medical philosophy i.e. depend on a
“natural” and holistic mental and physical health approach and it remains one of the
mainstream health care systems in India. Ayurvedic medicines are very popular in
India and other Asian & Western countries as an alternative to chemical medicines
because of their no / very few side effects on the human body. Ayurvedic medicines
are known for the treatment of chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, arthritis, and
asthma. Tis paper describes the possible causes for the various types of toxicity occurring/reported due to the intake of different types of Ayurvedic bhasma (nanoparticles)
and herbal medicines, among them heavy metal toxicity (Lead, Mercury, Arsenic) is
commonly seen. Many medicinal plant preparation could interfere with the proper
functioning of certain medicines like Phenobarbital, Alprazolam, etc. Te contamination of Herbal Medicines from heavy metals or microbial toxins can lead to nephrotoxicity, neurotoxicity, Hepatotoxicity, and severe damage to other body organs. Due
to nonavailability of proper data on short, medium, and long term usage of Ayurvedic
Bhasmas, heavy metal toxicity has been reported. Ayurvedic Bhasmas are safe though
a lack of standard protocol or method of preparation

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems are widely used by the academia, and educational institutions. ERP are used by institutions for maintaining their records and sharing of data with the users and stakeholders. ERP modules have varying levels of end-user access restrictions depending on the type of module. Certain
modules can be accessed from anywhere using an internet connection, whereas some
are restricted to be accessed only through an admin account. Tese modules generally contain sensitive data stored in them. Tere are cases wherein the security breach
has been reported for gaining access to the data stored and use them for perpetrating
crimes, majorly fnancial crimes and identity thefs. Te current paper discusses some
of these breaches, along with the possible risks and corrective measures suggested to
avoid such breaches
 

Fingerprints have been utilized in criminal and judicial investigations for establishing the identity of the accused/suspects for a long time. Fingerprints are an effective
tool for determining who committed a crime. Nonetheless, easily detectable or visible
marks are infrequently found at a crime scene; most of the time, they are latent, requiring the use of special methods to identify them. Fingerprint comparison should be cost
effective and time bound to quickly obtain results with quality assurance. In this case,
nanotechnology and its continued development have resulted in a range of applications in forensic science. Nano particles have been proposed as a solution for fngerprint
detection and enhancement due to their versatility and smaller particle size. Because
nanoparticles do not alter the composition of evidence, they can easily aid in the detection of high-resolution prints, and these evidences, unlike conventional techniques, can
be re-used for any other chemical treatment. In most legal science research facilities,
traditional methods such as black powder, fluorescent powder, and white powders are
used. Tis review paper summarizes the various types of nanoparticle techniques that
can be used for fngerprint identifcation and comparison, such as Camphoric-based
Nano carbon, Acetylated cashew gum based silver nanoparticles and so on.
 

Saffron, a dried stigma derivative of Crocus sativus, is tremendously rich in phytochemicals like crocin and safranal. For a long time, the phytochemicals of saffronhave remained obscure, and thereby its role in disease treatment remained subsidiary. Of late, researchers have gained momentum in studying its bioactivity because of its numerous beneficial health aspects. The pharmacological activities such as antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-atherosclerotic of crocin and safranal, have recently been a focus of many researchers. Considering market value and demand, saffron has become the center stage of adulteration and, subsequently, illegal trade. This has prompted researchers to develop advanced, cost-effective analytical tools for rapidly detecting possible adulteration common in illegal saffron trading. This review provides greater insight into methods and counters detection techniques in the adulteration of saffron worldwide. Moreover, this review gives a detailed account of the phytochemicals specific to saffron and their potential role in treatments of various diseases
 

The detrimental effects of heavy metals on human health are known as several health risks are associated with heavy metal toxicity. Rapid industrialization and
enhanced use of metals in various industries resulted in the increased distribution of
heavy metals in the environment. Industrial wastes in the form of liquid and gaseous
efuents, as well as scrap in landflls are a major source of heavy metal pollution causing contamination of water bodies and the environment in general. Tese toxicants accumulate in the human body as individuals are exposed to them. Te toxicity of heavy
metals depends on various factors which include but not limited to amount of metal
(dose), exposure duration, age, gender and health status of individuals. Heavy metals
such as mercury, cadmium, arsenic, chromium, lead etc especially are of great concern
for public health due to their acute toxicity. Tese metals are potent enough to induce
multiple organ failure even at small concentrations. Studies have shown an association
between heavy metals and carcinogenicity. In the present work, a comprehensive analysis of toxicity of eleven heavy metal namely, aluminium, antimony, arsenic, bismuth,
cadmium, cobalt, iron, lead, mercury, tin and thallium has been reviewed along with
their analytical aspects and management. Clinical features of metal toxicity with diagnosis techniques and treatment including hospitalization and post-hospitalization
management are also elaborated.
 

Most data, including books, images, photographs, medical records, and even hu man genetic material, has moved to digital formats in recent years. Laptops, -
smartphones, and connected devices are the primary sources of this digital data transformation, and they are quickly becoming an integral part of our everyday lives. We
are becoming a sof target for different forms of cybercrime as a result of this transition. Digital forensic investigation allows you to retrieve fles from a suspect’s laptop
that have been accidentally removed or hidden. Te available manpower and government resources, however, are insufcient to investigate cybercrime. Unfortunately,
current automated forensic protocols and practices necessitate a lot of human contact,
which slows down the process and slows down the rate at which digital crimes are
committed. Over the last few years, the use of Artifcial Intelligence (AI) in Digital
Forensic Science (DFS) approaches to cybercrime investigations has gotten a lot of
attention. Traditional DFS techniques are no longer applicable to Digital Forensic (DF)
investigators, as they frequently require a DF investigator to manually sif through data
in order to locate relevant evidence. In order for Digital Forensic Science to keep up
with the demands, which are compounded by Big Data, more intelligent Digital Forensic investigation techniques are needed. Te main focus of our paper is to conduct
a thorough study of the various AI algorithms and their implementation specifcally in
Digital forensics
 

Safety of passengers has been a severe issue in all societies of any country in the world. Tousands of people lose their lives daily and many more lose their livelihood because of paralysis caused by accidents. Accidents not only cause physical
injuries but also are responsible for high economic losses. According to various studies
and investigations it is noticed that one of the major causes behind the road accidents
is driver’s drowsiness. Tis drowsiness can be the cause of many reasons. Fatigue or
sleep deprivation are the major reasons. Tus, a countermeasure device is currently
essential in many felds for sleepiness related accident prevention. Many researchers
have been working on different aspects to deal with this drowsiness issue through various aspects like (1) Subjective Measures, (2) Physiological measures, (3) Vehicle-based
measures, (4) Behavioural measures Tis paper proposes a comparative review on
different methods used to detect drowsiness of drivers. It looks into the advantages
and disadvantages of different methods used for the purpose and creates a detailed
comparative analysis for a better future hybrid model to be taken into consideration.
Tis would further help in enhancing the safety measures that should be taken for
road safety
 

Biosorption isotherms define the relationship between the biosorption capacity of the biosorbent and the equilibrium concentration of the ions in solution, at a constant temperature. Experiments are routinely performed under near-equilibrium because it is impossible to determine the exact time at which equilibrium was attained. A novel attempt to study multi-ion biosorption in non-equilibrium conditions has been made, based on the Probability Isotherm theory. Materials and Methods: Probability Isotherm theory was examined with cucumber and kiwifruit peel beads which are reported to be efficient biosorbents. Te peels were incubated in a cocktail of seven ions (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, and Ni) at the same initial concentration (0.1-15 mg-1) and four different temperatures (25-55°C). Non-equilibrium biosorption data were modeled by the Langmuir isotherm model. Data were analyzed using a one-way ANOVA coupled with a Bonferroni posthoc test on GraphPad Prism 8 software. Cd and Ni ions showed the most well-defined trends with the Langmuir isotherm model. The binding of ions was Physico-chemical with simultaneously occurring physisorption and chemisorption reactions. Conclusions: Probability Isotherm theory can be applied to multi-ion biosorption in non-equilibrium conditions. The behavior of each ion is unique and no two biosorption systems are alike.
 

Diatoms are eukaryotic, unicellular algae that belong to a Bacillariophyceae fam ily and it exists in water. Diatom is important in determining whether or not -
a person died as a result of drowning. When a corpse is retrieved from the water, it
is generally believed that the death was caused by drowning, and that the body was
drowned either before or afer death. In such circumstances, the existence of diatoms
in body tissues is a very useful evidence in determining the cause of death. Various
types of diatoms found in dead body tissues are related to the types of diatoms present
in bodies of water that are recovered from the body. Te objective of this study was
to fnd out which types of Diatom are present in different freshwater bodies around
Patna district of Bihar, India. In this research, freshwater samples were collected by
Random Sampling Technique from 17 different water habitats of Patna, during January to February, 2021. For diatom analysis, samples from ecological niches like river
Ganga, ponds, and lakes were collected in clean water bottles with tight-ftting caps.
Extraction of diatoms is done in two ways: Te H2O2 method and the HNO3 method.
Te aim is to determine which extraction procedure — H2O2 or NHO3 — is best for
diatom extraction. Afer the extraction of diatoms, the examination and photography
of diatoms species is performed by compound microscope (Leica DM750 with Leica
ICC50 E camera). Different Diatoms species found in various water environments at
different location were investigated in this research. Some of their names are Cymbella
sp., Fragiliaria sp., Ehrenbergiulva granulosa, Coscinodiscus radiates, Cyclotella sp.,
Melosira sp., Actinoptychus sp., Triceratium sp., Nietzsche sp., Actinocyclus sp. Te
information from this experiment will help in forensic science laboratories to identify
diatoms, criminal investigation and locating drowning sites or place of crime. In this
analysis we found that nitric acid digestion method give better extraction as compare
to hydrogen peroxide extraction method.
 

Forensic Nursing is the application of nursing process to public or legal proceedings in the healthcare with scientifc investigation of trauma or death related to abuse,
violence, criminal activity, liability and accidents. Nurse practices in all areas with specialized roles by taking care of the documentation which plays a major role for clarifcation. Forensic Nursing was recently recognized by American Nurses Association but
it has its origin as early as 12th century from Italy Florence Nightingale (1820 – 1910),
Angel of Crimea / Lady With A Lamp provided nursing care to war victims without
any consideration whether of friend or enemy. In 1992 International Association of
Forensic Nurses was found in the USA and other countries where the forensic nursing
took its practice are Canada, South Africa, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Sweden,
Switzerland, and the Great Britain. In India, the journey of Forensic Nursing started
in 2002 with the visit of Ms.Virginia A. Lynch to Punjab. In October 2015, Department of Health and family welfare, Government of India and Indian Nursing Council
approved and started a one-year post-Basic diploma in Forensic Nursing at the Institute of Forensic Science, Gujarat Forensic Sciences University with ffeen students.
Forensic nurses contribute to disaster planning and response. Tey are also consulted
on legal cases, assisting attorneys to understand the medical terminology and how care
is provided to the individual
 

Forensic mycology is a modern concept that has been used to explain the fungi suc cession and development of cadavers. It could lead to application in forensic medi--
cine in determining presence of fungal strains which would, in turn, help in establishing the time of death. Since the corpse is an ample source of organic material, there has
been an increase in research into the function of fungi in post-mortem decomposition.
While some mentions of the participation of fungi in the post-mortem phase have
been published in olde r literature and studies, they have rarely relied on the form
or species of fungi that are present at each phase of decomposition. Apart from that,
isolating fungal species in specifed geographical areas will facilitate in the characterization and classifcation of region-specifc microorganisms found on corpses under
diverse growth condition. In this study, animal corpse and its specifc organs were
used to study the development of fungal strains developed in succession afer specifc
intervals of time and stages of decomposition. Te strains obtained were identifed by
lactophenol staining as Rhizopus sps., Mucor, Aspergillus sps. and Alternaria sps
 

As crime is becoming a major issue over the last few decades in India, mathemati cal models came as a rescue to study and understand the dynamics of crime andto analyse the effect of control and preventive measures. Tis review aims at discussing several approaches to formulate such mathematical models, namely, economical approach, epidemic approach, predator-prey modelling approach and spatio-temporal approach. Strategies for combating fnancial crime are also examined. Trough this review, it has been observed that study on the dynamics of crime against women is less considered. Such gap could be analysed with the help of information obtained through the approaches discussed. Te work of this paper could help crime analysts to predict the trends in the crime against women and prepare the optimal control and prevention policies.

Homicide is considered part of human behaviour. Signifcant number of unnatural deaths have been reported in which tools like axe, hammer, kitchen knife, etc., were used, followed by other assault weapons. Tey were used by attackers due to theireasy availability. Increasing rate of homicides worldwide reveals extreme violence, increased aggravation, lack of patience and mental disturbance in the culprits.  Te frst step toward developing interventions to reduce the impact of homicidal crimes and violence is to study homicidal trends in civil society as it varies from region to region. It is a record based cross sectional study in which all the 137 homicidal deaths out of 151 cases of Bareilly region reported at Division of Forensic Serology, Forensic Science Laboratory, Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh from January 2019 - June 2019, were studied and analyzed. All the suicide cases with improper entry and those killed in police encounters were excluded. Various parameters like relationship of the victim to the accused, method of homicides, sex and gender of victims, category of lethal weapons, motive behind the homicide, place of incident etc., are considered. Tis research has been conducted with the objective to determine the most commonly used weapons for region. Moreover, parameters like determining the most vulnerable victims, age groups, place of incidence, gender, motive, accused-victim relationship, and cause of death behind the homicidal death were considered.
 

Enterprise resource planning is an organizational management sofware for manag ing the data related to the functioning of an organization in a streamlined manner. - ERP was initially designed for the business and industry sector, but with its wide applications in various sectors, it has been continuously been adopted by organizations of other domains too. A major domain that is quick to adopt the ERP system is the educational sector, wherein the institutions are adopting the ERP systems to manage their resources. ERP systems are majorly based on in house server and need huge investment. Te educational institution has thus been found hesitating to implement the system. A new approach has been to use a Cloud-based ERP rather than use an inhouse-server to store data, as the cloud is being used for reducing the amount of
investment needed for the set-up. Tis research studies data security, threats and risk analysis and concerns of the educational institutions while employing the Cloud-based ERP systems. Also, the authors have suggested a mid-path solution to overcome these concerns and risk factors - A hybrid mode of ERP system combing both the traditional
and cloud-based approach
 

Cloud computing is the most important and almost universally desired adminis tration for all organisations because it allows organisations to exchange resourcessuch as calculating, stocking, and programming units while also ensuring ease of use
and management of virtualization technologies. Viva supports the internet. Comfort,
mobility, stability, adaptability, speed, tremendous bandwidth limits, availability, and
on-demand network access are just a few of the major benefts of cloud computing.
Te flexibility of options for cloud computing solutions has made it impossible for
hackers to seek successful and pervasive future surveillance and security openings as
emerging innovation. Tis paper examines cloud crime scene investigation research
in order to include potential options, including questions and challenges, as well as
several recommendations for overcoming these challenges
 

In this research study, we will look into the mixed profling via Y marker analysis in a sexual assault case. Background: Ascertaining the identifcation of the assailant or victim can be
determined conclusively by DNA profling of the samples found on the crime scene. Tere
are two types of DNA’s, nuclear DNA, and mitochondrial DNA. Generally, mitochondrial
DNA is taken in cases where nuclear DNA cannot be extracted which are mostly present
in hair and bone. Various types of DNA analysis, STR analysis, RFLP, mtDNA analysis, and
Y-fler depending on the case involved. In the cases involving mixed profling, it is Y-fler
profling which is used to fnd out the actual profle to give a report as conclusive evidence.
In this research, we will look at the analysis of mixed profling via Y-fler analysis in a sexual
assault case. Messages: Problem in the cases involving mixed gene analyzer profling that is
two accused involved in a particular crime scene becomes a condition whose admissibility
in the court comes under question. In such cases it is Y-chromosome present on “AMEL”
that is the locus studying for the X- and Y-chromosome signifying the presence or absence
of the criminal under question.
 

Virtual Clinic is a web based sofware application, where patients can consult with physicians, psychologists, therapists, and other health professionals. No physical
presence of the patient is required in the virtual clinic. It is much better during the
examination if the disease does not require it as the obligatory diagnostic prerequisite.
Te web-based VC has been designed for functional and nonfunctional purposes and
specifcations. Tese criteria have been met through interviews that have semi structured and open-ended questions on disease evaluation by medical practitioners. Finished questions concerning the evaluation by the experience of the disease. And it’s a
very open source application that any user can link a shared issue to a conference. Tis
virtual clinic was used during lockdown due to Covid-19. Tere have been many lockdowns in countries all over the world. Tis was the only option during the pandemic.
In developing the application, we were particularly concerned about the provision of
services and the reliable, secure, and efcient storage of data. Here, the non-functional
and functional requirements are proposed along with such clinic’s design. Such requirements were collected depending on the input that medical practitioners have
specifed via interviews that had open ended and semi structured questions related to
assessment of disease according to their experience.
 

The outset of the year 2020 witnessed the outbreak of an eipidemic known as CoVid-19 or novel coronavirus pandemic. Since then, the number of confrmed
cases of this infection had increased rapidly all over the world. Autopsy provides relevant knowledge about the identifcation and determination of the cause of death in
forensic medicine. Different non-invasive and minimally invasive approaches over the
traditional autopsy are introduced into forensic science to deal with challenges presented by COVID-19 pandemic where performing invasive autopsy is not feasible.
Virtopsy is a multi-disciplinary science. ‘Virtopsy’ or Virtual Autopsy aims at new
imaging techniques in forensic pathology to facilitate the present postmortem examination. It offers advantages over invasive ‘body openinging’ autopsy. Virtopsy consists of body volume documentation, optical scanning with imaging techniques such
as Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT) scan coupled
with minimally invasive approaches such as postmortem biopsies. Te importance of
Virtopsy is noteworthy in post mortem examination of COVID-19 patients. Virtopsy
has a broad spectrum of uses in forensic medicine, forensic odontology, frearm injury
and road trafc injury etc. Hence, it can be used either independently or as an alternative to conventional autopsy. Te present study highlights the importance of Virtopsy
in postmortem examination and its contribution in forensic science. It also provides
scope for future research in the subdisciplines of forensic science
 

Despite its limited applications, nanotechnology has made signifcant contribution in a broad scientifc arena. Te technology is concerned with the development of new materials and reagents with conventional characteristics. Nano-particles are made from a variety of substances such as biopolymers, and synthetic polymers. Te nano-particles synthesized from bio-polymers have benefts over synthetic polymeric nano-particles which include biocompatibility, non-toxicity, cost-efciency and bio-degradability. Te use of nano-particles have gained a lot of attention in recent years. Te use of the bio-polymeric nanoparticles provides new opportunities in surface-based applications. Te fngerprint detection is based on surface phenomena to which nanotechnology can be applied. Tis article reviews the forensic application of bio-polymeric nano-particles and their use in development and enhancement of latent fngerprints. Te use of nano-particles has emerged as a powerful tool for improved forensic analysis. It also provides deep insight into the future possibilities of
nanotechnology.
 

Handwriting is a neuro-muscular phenomenon, which is affected by the author’s gender, age, ethnicity, the system of handwriting learned, content, purpose, writing protocol, whether written from memory, dictated, or copied out, writing instruments, changes in the handwriting of an individual over time, etc. It has been established by studies that handwriting is an acquired skill. Handwriting is also related to
the cognitive aspects of the brain with the muscular movements. Terefore, it can be
hypothesized that a certain degree of commonness exists in the handwriting features
of the people of the same population group. Few researches had been conducted in
this aspect to identify the ethnic origin of author through distinctive characteristics of
their handwriting, which reflects their ethnic origin. Out of these works, a couple of
studies took quantitative approach to statistically examine the characteristics of handwriting. Tis research will help in identifying the authors of anonymous writings. Also
the work will help the anthropological researchers in identifying the ethnic origin of
writer based on their ethno-linguistic handwriting features. We approach this problem using multilingual writers. We have focused on a very distinctive ethno-linguistic
groups such as Telugu, Malayalam, Bengali and Hindi writers, to double check the results. Further comparison is done with the fndings of the data obtained from control
population. Each set of group contains 50 samples.
 

Law enforcements round the world have always been inclined to the use of Lie De tectors. Lie Detector or the Polygraph test is one of the results of technological -
advancements. Te Indian Law although doesn’t allows the application of the Lie Detectors in the courts to be used as an evidence. Tis paper will give you a background
check of lie detectors and despite of the fact that it isn’t allowed, how effective has this
been proved in cases. If we look at our ancient sciences also, the Ayurveda the technique to identify if a prisoner is at fault or not is the change in behavior, body language.
We now call it in the modern language as psychology of an individual. Tis will also
give a comparison of the admissibility rules of the same in different countries and how
is it useful or not in their individual scenarios. Let us look at a brief history of how it
was developed, the frst application in a case and in the coming years do we see any
changes in our Indian system of law for its application.
 

High-Performance Tin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC) is one of the revolu tionary techniques that has the advantage of full optimization, minimum samplepreparation, automation and hyphenation. Using HPTLC system is used frequently in
forensic science for analysis of new drugs, poison, fngerprints, etc. In this paper, we
study the major and minor faults of two units of HPTLC system by considering the
fact that for minor and major faults, system goes to the partial failure and complete
failure, respectively. On occurrence of a fault in a system, either the repairman carries
out the system to repair or if repairman is busy unit have to wait for repair. Systems
parameters are derived by utilizing regenerative point graphical technique. Experimental results are performed to analyze system availability, server visit, busy period
and proft. Graphical representations are shown for better understanding of the proposed technique.
 

Plant toxins and poisons are deadly weapons which can kill humans without any bloodshed or violence. Tese deadly plant weapons in the form of extracts or plant tissue as whole are used by culprits for burglary, rape, and murder. Tey are also used in many suicide cases. In India, numerous murders, unsolved deaths and crimes have been related to the use of plant toxins. Criminals use them ofen as they are freely available at virtually no cost. Te plant extracts or plant tissues can ofen be found on the crime site or even on the murderer or suspect. In this project, research has been initiated to study the polymorphism of proteins found in the different poisonous plants in India and identify its forensic importance. Te profling or polymorphism has been done using SDS-Page technique, which shows a series of Protein Bands present in the plant tissue used. Tis data shows the typical proteins present in the different plants and the polymorphism of plant proteins can be used as a Protein Fingerprinting to identify the toxic plant used to cause harm, death, murder on a crime site. Te Protein fngerprint thus obtained can be used as an evidence to identify a particular death with the specifc symptoms as well as the toxic plant used in the crime.
 

Tere is a growing trend in the different antibiotics against microbes. However, studies were found that a microorganism interacts at molecular level in a unique way against a range of antibiotics. Te present study was undertaken to analyze the effect of expired and unexpired drugs which are commonly used by Indians without doctor’s
prescription. Due to a change in chemical composition or a drop in potency, expired medical items may be less effective or dangerous. Expired drugs may harbor bacteria, and sub-potent medicines may even fail to treat infections, resulting in more serious diseases and antibiotic resistance. Tere is no assurance that the drug will be safe and
effective afer the expiry date. Sensitivity test and Spectrophotometry were performed for the selected expired and unexpired antibiotics and drugs - Ampicillin, Norflox-TZ, and Althorn. Te growth pattern of microbes in antibiotics before and afer their expiry was performed and then compared. It was evident that fresh forms of antibiotics
have signifcantly inhibited the growth of microbes as compared to expired drugs. Te expired forms of antibiotics lost their efcacy in expired drugs.
 

For ages, the main source of ink for writing documents and books has been natural
dyes and vegetable inks. Biochemists have identifed these natural inks and dyes that
act as antibacterial and antifungal agent whereby they protect the historical writings
and documents from bacterial or fungal infections. It also acts as moth deterrents. Natural colorants derived from plants have been used for at least 4,000 years as dyes and
inks for writing because of their antimicrobial properties. Tus, documents and books
written with these inks have survived moisture, humidity, and microbial degradation
or deterioration. Te type of ink used to write books or documents have forensic relevance. Terefore, the present study was undertaken to understand the antimicrobial
properties of older dyes and inks compared to today’s inks and their comparative antimicrobial activity. Fountain pen ink and gel pen pigments are water-based but even
then their antimicrobial activity have been clearly seen against 5 different bacterial
strains in the present study. Against all the bacterial strains, ball pen ink and gel ink
demonstrated the greatest Inhibition region. It was also deduced from the results that
of all the three, the black ink gave the maximum zone of Inhibition and toxicity to all
the fve strains of Gram -ve as well as Gram +ve bacterial strain. Tus the study proves
that the ink pigments have high antibacterial effect and that both printed and written
documents and manuscripts could be preserved without the fear of deterioration.
 

Cardiovascular diseases are a chief cause of sudden death. Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) exists as a hidden burden in developing countries. It occurs as a sequelae to Rheumatic Fever caused by Group A β Hemolytic Streptococcus. Despite the existence of antibiotics and prophylaxis by Penicillin it is still prevalent. A 33 year old male was found unresponsive in his house and was later declared dead. He had a history of abdominal pain for the past 6 months for which he was on medication. There was no other relevant family and past history. He had no history of alcohol intake or smoking. Complete medico legal autopsy was done and confirmed to be RHD. RHD is an “iceberg” disease which is still prevalent in developing countries. A cross reaction between foreign antigen and cardiac proteins leads to formation of autoantibodies causing autoimmune reaction. Mitral valve is commonly involved. RHD diagnosis can be established using Jones criteria during clinical examination. RHD still exists despite use of advanced antibiotics and Penicillin prophylaxis and needs to be therefore considered as a diagnosis of sudden death of young adults.

Keywords: Caterpillar Cells; Sudden Death; Rheumatic Heart Disease.

Accidental Pesticide poisoning is an important health issue in developing country like India. Adverse health effects by pesticides are common among farmers due inappropriate handling. Plant growth regulator hydrogen cyanamide (Dormex) is used mainly for the bud-cleaving and growth promotion of grapes in north karnataka. Accidental exposure to hydrogen cyanamide may result in wide range of health hazards like irritant contact dermatitis. Here we discuss such a case where the patient suffered severe health hazards due to accidental exposure to hydrogen cyanamide.

Keywords: Hydrogen Cyanamide; Accidental Exposure; Cutaneous Reactions.

Context: Cardiovascular diseases constitute the most common cause of sudden death. In medicolegal autopsies it is proposed that every possible organ must be sampled for histopathological examination as they provide the most accurate clues to a better understanding of human cardiovascular pathology. Aims: The main aim of this study was to analyse the histopathological spectrum of cardiac diseases which play a major role as cause of death in autopsy specimens that were received in a tertiary care hospital. Settings and Design: The study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital in Bangalore, the study period was from January 2015 to December 2019 during which a total of 276 autopsies were received. Out of these 173 cases included specimens of heart and were considered in this study. Methods and Material: During the study period from January 2015 to December 2019, a total of 276 autopsies were received. Out of these 173 cases included specimens of heart and were considered in this study. Epidemiological data and post mortem findings were noted, gross findings documented and the heart opened through inflow outflow method. Microscopic findings on H and E stained sections were studied with special stains ordered wherever required. The histopathogical findings were analysed. Results: Males outnumbered females with 85% of the total cases and maximum number of cases were observed between 3rd decade to 5th decade. On histopathology, 60.4% of the cases showed atherosclerotic changes involving the coronary arteries followed by myocardial infarction (9%), myocardial hypertrophy (7%), cardiomyopathy (4.2%) cases, myocarditis (3.4%), 0.5% case each of aortic stenosis and infective endocarditis. 15% of cases showed no significant abnormalities on gross and microscopic examination. Conclusions: Atherosclerosis involving the coronaries is probably the commonest finding on histopathology of the heart in cases subjected to autopsies. Cardiomyopathy and Myocarditis presenting as sudden death is commom in the younger population.

Keywords: Coronaries; Heart; Post-mortem; Histopathology.

Introduction: Sudden death (SD) is defined by World Health Organization (WHO) as ‘death within 24 hours from onset of the symptoms’.1 It is by definition natural and it excludes all deaths due to poison and trauma. The incidence of sudden cardiac death has been steadily increasing all over the world. When SD occurs in adults and elderly persons, coronary atherosclerosis is the usual cause. These diseases are frequently concealed and discovered with surprise only at post mortem using macroscopic and microscopic examination of heart. Methods: Present study is a retrospective study, conducted in the department of Pathology, Vydehi Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre Bengaluru from July 2016 to June 2020. Patients of all age groups who died within 24 hours from the onset of symptoms were included. Results: A total of 483 autopsy cases were received for histopathological examination, among which there were 134 cases with history of sudden death during the study period. Age distribution ranged from 6 days to 86 years. In our study we observed male preponderance. Maximum number of cases was observed in 31 to 40 years of age. Major causes for sudden deaths observed were coronary artery diseases in 98 cases (73%) followed by pulmonary causes in 12 cases (8.96%). Conclusion: Present study highlighted the presence of increasing cases of sudden deaths among young males compared to developed countries. This will emphasize the need for research studies to find out the cause and early interventional measures to prevent the same.

Keywords: Sudden death; Autopsy; Histopathological findings.

Background: Hair Dyes are chemicals that are used to change hair colour. Hair colouring has become irresistible fascination to improve physiognomy especially people having grey hair. Hair dyeing is an ancient art and hair colourants are rapidly growing globally. But sometimes it is used to commit suicide. Hair dye poisoning occurs when someone swallows’ dye or tint used to colour hair. Morbidity and mortality due to poisoning have been known to pose a significant burden on the health. Aims and Objectives: To study the incidence and demographic features of hair dye poisoning in people who are admitted in Narayana Medical College Hospital, Nellore district State Andhra Pradesh South India. Type of Study: This is a two years prospective study. Place of study: Hair dye poisoning admitted in Narayana Medical College Hospital between the periods July 2012- June 2014. Material and Methods: All patients admitted and managed for hair dye poisoning were retrieved and data collected. Age, sex, incidence, residence, education and marital status were all recorded on the prepared proforma. Observation and Discussion: In our study, age wise distribution of 76 cases of paraphenylenediamine (PPD) hair dye poisoning revealed that maximum cases (56.6%) were in the age group 21–30 years with 27.96 ± 11.24 years mean and standard deviation respectively. Hair dye poisoning was common among females (76% of all cases). The incidence of hair dye poisoning was 154.84 patients of hair dye poisoning/1000 cases of all poisoning/year from July 2012 to June 2013 and 112.90 patients of hair dye poisoning/1000 cases of all poisoning/year during July 2013 – June 2014. Rural people (52.60%) consumed hair dye poison more than urban population. More common in under matriculation. Maximum persons (78.9% of all cases) were married. Conclusion: Trend of hair dye consuming is increasing now a days among young, rural population. It is common among female, married persons and increasing burden on health care institution.

Keywords: Hair dye poisoning; Super vasmol poisoning; Paraphenylenediamine.

Aims: Aim of the study was to estimate, compare and differentiate the anatomical variations according to ageing in the bizygomatic distance and dimensions of maxillary sinuses on Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) images and to assess their authenticity in age estimation that might be used as an evidence in forensics. Settings and Design: CBCT images of bilateral maxillary sinus were obtained from 30 subjects, categorized into 3 groups of age ranging between 20-40, 41-50, 51-60 years. Methods and Material: Measurements such as bizygomatic distance and maxillary sinus dimensions namely length, height, width, area, perimeter and volume were evaluated. Statistical Analysis Used: The data was subjected to descriptive statistical analysis followed by Chi-square test, One way ANOVA, regression ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation and Post-Hoc test. Results: The study showed a difference among mean values of different age groups but was statistically non significant. As age increased the left width, mean width of right and left maxillary sinus, left area, left perimeter, left volume and right and left mean volume of maxillary sinus decreased linearly and significantly with significant P values. The regression ANOVA revealed that volume is the true predictor of age of the subjects. Conclusion: Age estimation with few linear measurements of maxillary sinus dimensions was possible among the study population. It was found that as the age increased few of the maxillary sinus dimensions decreased. Hence this study positively recommends the use of maxillary sinus dimensions for the purpose of age estimation in the field of forensics.

Keywords: Age estimation; Bizygomatic distance; Cone Beam Computed Tomography; Maxillary sinus

Background: Both dust inhalation and smoking combined, led to more deleterious effect on the lungs. The health of gold miners is not only eroded by excessive exposure to dust in the mines, but also by the habit of smoking. Smokers have a significantly higher risk of getting lung cancer than non-smokers. Objective: The objective of this study is to establish the relationship between smoking and lung abnormalities among ex-mineworkers in the Transkei region of South Africa. Patients and Methods: During a two years period (May 1997 to May 1999) 2080 former mineworkers were examined at the Benefit Examination Clinic at Umtata General Hospital, a tertiary hospital attached to the Walter Sisulu University in Eastern Cape Province. Radiological examinations were carried out on (466) former mineworkers, in the age group ranging from 30 years to 70-plus years. Results: Mineworkers who had smoked exhibited two to three times the number of gross lung abnormalities on radiological examination than those who had had no experience of smoking in their life. The readings taken indicated an odd ratio (OR) of 2.0 with a p value of <0.05, and Chi-square 8.3, indicative of statistically significant association between smoking and lung abnormality in the ex-mineworkers (i.e. ex-smokers, smokers, and non smokers). Conclusion: There is a strong correlation between lung abnormalities and smoking among ex-mineworkers in this study.

Keywords: Smoking; Lung abnormality; Ex-mineworkers; Dust; Lung cancer.