An autopsy study on medico-legal evaluation of post-mortem scavenging

After death a body may be mutilated in various ways. Animal scavenging is one of the causes. This scavenging creates difficulties with the interpretation of various medico-legal questions such as identity of the victim and cause of death and, as a consequence, criminal charges against the perpetrator cannot be framed or proven. The present study was undertaken to find out the incidence of scavenging in the Saurashtra region (part of west India) and also to see how it affects the interpretation of medico-legal evidence. We are of the opinion that scavenging does affect various medico-legal parameters and knowledge of this fact and careful autopsy examinations helped us to reach a logical conclusion. A study comprising 13 cases observed during a period of one year is presented.