Human decomposition in the unique context of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (India): a comparative analysis with reference data

Abstract

ABSTRACT The understanding of the victim’s decomposition process is crucial in forensic science for establishing accurate time since death, and the overall timelines of criminal investigations. Global research, which primarily relies on non-human animal proxies, highlights a scarcity of facilities using human bodies and a lack of baseline data for some regions and remote locations. In cases such as the Andaman and Nicobar (A&N) Islands (India), forensic practitioners turn to literature-derived patterns developed at the closest locations (mostly mainland India). This study examines 51 human decomposition cases investigated in A&N in comparison with the existing literature, emphasizing distinctions and similarities in their decomposition relative to the current Indian literature. This study advocates for further research and potentially calls for the establishment of the first anthropology research facility in the Indo-Pacific region, encouraging the development of tailored methodologies for more accurate estimations in diverse environments.