Emedinews:Insights on Medicolegal Issues:Exhumation of corpse without legal order is criminal offence – Indian Penal Code

The Autopsy Surgeon/Forensic Expert and Magistrate should be present along with the concerned police official with the order of court; however, the local police official should be called if exhumation is carried out.

·         Exhumation should be conducted preferably in the morning hours after proper sunrise.

·         More than two times of the digging area should be screened off.

·         The grave/place of cremation for which the order has been passed should be identified properly/authentically by police officer; an estimation of number of persons, whether single, double or multiple body/bodies should be made so that adequate arrangements can be done in advance.

·         The burial should be removed in layer of about 10cm and the condition of soil, water, any plantation growth, ants, cockroaches, and smell should be noted.

·         After removal of dirt above the dead body, it should be photographed from all corners in the original position found.

·         A drawing should be made of graveyard/depth and state of decomposition/skeletal remains of the body.

·         The dead body/its remains should be transferred in a plastic sheet covered with a cloth sheet.

·         Sample of soil, burial cloth, and any material found in grave, loosen hair/teeth/nail/should be collected and photographed.

·         The body should be shown to close relatives for identification.

·         The dug grave should be kept as it is for further burial after autopsy.

·         All the available details should be provided to the doctor with request to conduct the postmortem examination with any specific instruction or query related with forensic/medical examination to find out age, cause of death, details of injury, any poisoning, time since death etc.

·         Videographs of all procedure must be done.