Forensic Medicine: A source and pathway of recognition in disaster victim identification

Abstract

A mass fatality is commonly construed as a hazardous event resulting in a large number of martyr victims who needs to be identified and subjected to medico legal investigation. During the hazardous consequences of mass fatality incident, it is a necessity to identify the accused sensitively so as to provide judicial assurance and a support to the family members. DVI (Disaster victim identification) team work in an interdisciplinary manner, engaging the services of experts in various disciplines, comprising of forensic medicine, pathologists, anthropologists, odontologists, radiologists, fingerprint and DNA experts to substitute the work in the examination of victims. In accordance to the internationally recognized INTERPOL (International police) DVI guide, the basic quality of standards should be applied and victims must be treated with dignity and respect. This paper focuses on the dynamic applications and significance of forensic medicine which acts as an efficient source of recognition, particularly in the DVI process in setting up a procedure for temporary controlled burial for all the unidentified remains. Different case studies included in this paper reveals the fact that the extensive field of forensic medicine provides a pathway in linking the victims and managing the fatality. Further the reviews relating this field are incorporated in this domain.