Unidentified bodies in autopsy – A disaster in disguise

Abstract

Medico legal autopsies are conducted in all cases of unnatural deaths and unidentified bodies. The case load of unidentified bodies in autopsy at Calcutta is quite alarming. The profile of such cases has rarely been studied in India. The present study attempts to find out the circumstances and fate of the unidentified bodies on whom medico legal autopsies were conducted. One fourth (614) of all the cases brought for autopsy were unidentified at the time of postmortem examination. Subsequently, 109 cases were identified and the rest remained unidentified. The peak age group of the deceased was 31–45years and the majority of them were males. Identity of the victims was possible only within the first week after autopsy. The family members were the ones to identify the deceased and the male members of the family were the commonest one to identify the victims. Natural death (48.3%) due to disease and pathological condition was the leading cause of death whereas among the unnatural causes, drowning (28.4%) was the commonest cause. The present study revealed that the homeless street dwellers of the city formed a substantial portion of the unfortunate victims.