- Definition:
- Exhumation involves legally digging up an already buried body from a grave.
- Applicable Cases:
- Homicide investigations
- Suspected homicides disguised as suicides
- Suspicious poisoning cases
- Criminal abortion or malpractice situations
- Survivorship and inheritance claims
- Workmen’s compensation and insurance claims
- Disputed identity scenarios
- Procedure:
- Requires a written order from the Executive Magistrate.
- Conducted under the supervision of a medical officer, with police and a Magistrate present.
- There is no time limit in India
- Sample Collection:
- In cases of suspected mineral poisoning, collect half a kilogram of earth from around the body (above, below, and from each side).
- Gather any fluid or debris from the coffin, a portion of the coffin, and burial clothes for chemical analysis.
- Viscera Preservation:
- Preserve viscera (internal organs) for chemical examination.
- Arsenic detection is common in exhumed bodies.
- Precautions:
- Avoid using disinfectants on the body.
- Conduct the autopsy in the usual manner.
- Skeleton Examination:
- If the body has decomposed to a skeleton, examine the bones.