Analysis of Injury Pattern & Forensic Medicine Management in a Case of Bomb Blast Injury

Abstract

Background: In 2016 midnight of summer a bomb blast occurred at ammunition depot Pulgaon. Blast wasso severe that villagers in the radius of 10km witnessed the blast wave. It had killed 19 people which includedArmy officers, soldier & fire brigade men. As per police inquest & alleged history given by eyewitness,anauthority of Central Ammunition Depot at Pulgaon noticed fire at ammunition store of the depot. For thisreason emergency task force team of the depot got activated and few army personnel including fire brigadepersonnel rushed to the spot to control the fire. But unfortunately large amount of ammunition blastedsuddenly as the fire spread inside the ammunition storage. Because of this 19 parsons were died on thespot & many were injured. To tackle the disaster civil authority were informed. When it was noted thattotal 19 personnel were died in the mishap, the District civil authority approached to Mahatma GandhiInstitute of Medical Sciences, Sevagram to send forensic medicine expert team to do spot Post Mortem (PM)examination. The main challenge before the forensic team was to establish the identity of the unidentifiedbody apart from doing PM examination, so that the body can be handed over the kin as early as possible toend the uncertainty of their loved ones.Aims & Objective: Forensic casework was carried out with aim to study the pattern of injuries in the bombblast cases, and to assess forensic management done in mass disaster.Material and Method: Study was carried out on 15 dead bodies involved in the bomb blast injury. Itincludes observation based on post mortem examination and assessment of forensic management done byour team.Result: Bomb blast injury includes complex of injuries like burn injury(100%), decapitation (33%), injuryof internal abdominal organs (40%) & chest organs (80%), fracture of bones (46%), Amputation of limbs(33%), and external mechanical injuries like contusion, abrasions and lacerations (100%). Due to destructiveinjuries identity of the victim gets obscured (40%).Conclusion: Medicolegal postmortem, sample preservation and humanitarian action of establishing theidentity of victims are the forensic management in bomb blast injury.