SUPERIMPOSITION: SIGNIFICANCE OF A PROFORMA – BASED EXAMINATION.

Superimposition

Significance of a Proforma-Based Examination

V.K. KASHYAP al,

v.v.

al Central Forensic Science Laboratory, Bureau of Police Research & Development (MHA) Govt. of India Ramanthapur, Hyderabad, India

bl Forensic Medicine, PSGIMS, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India

SUPERIMPOSITION (ÇAKIŞTIRMA)

YÖNTEMİNİN ÖNEMİ

MODEL DAYANAKLI ADLİ ANTROPOLOJİ

Özet

Bulunmuş iskelet kafatasıarındaki yumuşak dokuların, özel superimposition teknikleriyle yeniden şckillendirilmesinden yararlanarak kimlik saptanması için geliştirilmiş yöntemler kullanılmaktadır. B u şekilde

yeniden şekillendirilmiş olan yüz özellikleri ile kayıp kişilerin eldeki fotoğraflarının karşılaştırılması ilkesine dayanan yöntemle ilgili olarak yaptığımız çalışmanın sonucunda, elde ettiğimiz bazı verilerin ve saptamış bu-lunduğumuz anatomik yapılarla ilgili kriterlerin söz konusu tekniğin gelişmesinde bir adım olacağı gÖriişündeyiz.

Summary

Though interest in superimposition as a method of identification has been waning in recent times, it stili remains an important technique in certain cases. Its value can be increased greatly if a systematic approach is made. The authors have devised a profonna for this purpose which has been found to be extremely useful in several cases. in the present pa per, the results of examination of four such cases of identification by superimposition technique with the criteria outlined in proforma are discussed.

Kcy words: Superimposition - Skull identificaıion - Anatomical criterias

INTRODUCTION

Superimposition, as a method of identifying skeletal remains when the skull is

available, has of Iate been losing popularity. It has come undcr considerable flak for

bcing a non-conclusive, subjective test and many scientific investigators have become

dis-illusioned as to its merits (1). A careful appraisal of

facts however indicates that tqe

method as such cannot be belittled and it is the approach that is found wanting in most

of the cases (2,3). All that is usually done is to superimpose the available photograph

88 V.K. KASIlYAP, VY PILLA Y

of the suspected dcceased with that of the rccovered skull and various points notcd as to

whether theyare in

or in discrepancy. However, no aUemps had been made to

make the method uniformly systematic td encompass all the points to be takcn into

consideration from the inception to the

Points of similarity or dissimilarity

were arbitrarily noted and opinions offerred on the basis of this.

The authors of this paper have prepared and published a detailed

to be used

by Police Officers and Scientific Investigators

involved

in the examination of skclctal

rcmains, whenever a skull is to be used for superimposition (4). This proforma

has

been

found to. be of great value while examining cases of superimposition and the authors

have achieved successful results in a number of cases.

The proforma lists details of every bit of information required for satisfactory

application of the method ineluding an account of the photogr

a

phic technique used, type

of camera, angles used, manner of blowing up photographs to desired size, points taken

into consideration for arriving at the sex and age of the deceased, any facia

l

peculiarities

and abnormalities with particular reference to the skull, dental data, and a catalogue of

all the points to be considered comparatively between the skull and the portrait to find

similarities or dissimilarities before arriving at a conelusion.

In the present paper, fom cases have been outlined, where the proforma had been

used by the authors to come

to

successful conelusions.

CASE REPORTS

Case No. 1 : Miss S., was a 20 year old nurse at Afzalpur in Gulbarg District of Kamataka. She was in love with a village accountant which was disapproved of by her family comprising her mother and two brothers. Her repeated refusal to marry anybody else emaged her brothers who killed her on the night of 22 March 1983 in the presence of the mother. The body was then disposed of in a gunny bag in a remote place. This was recovered by the Police and submitted to medical examination. The skull was forwarded to the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL), Hyderabad alongwith arecent photograph of the suspected deceascd for superimposilion. U sing the proforma menr.ioned earlier, it was found that the skull almost certainly belonged to the sııspected dcceased Miss S., and on the basis of this and other findings, the sııspects

were convicted (Plate I).

Cas e No. 2 : Mr. M., a 23 year old man of Parasurampura Village in Shimoga District of Kamataka developed illicit intimacy wilh a 20 year old woman Miss K. as a resnit of which she became pregnant. The young woman's parents forced Mr. M. to marry her. Deeply resentful, he constantly ill-treated his wife. On 26 May 1983, he was escorting her to another village nearby, and on the way killed and threw his wife into a river. 'Ibe body, mostly in the form of skeletal remains was recovered by the Police, and the skull and a photograph of the deceased were forwarded to the CFSL, llyderabad for superimposition. U sing the prepared profonna, idcntify could be established with near certainty and led to the conviction of Mr. M. (Plate 2).

90

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....

Case No. 3: Smt. D., a housewife of Neerluli ViIIage in Raichur District of Kamataka had be en carrying on illicitly with two males Mr. Y. and Mr. N.D. of the same yillage. Jealousy arising out of rivalry compelled Mr. N.D. to murder Mr. Y. taking help from some of Smt. D.'s relalives. The body was disposed of in a .lake nearby and 6 months later was recovered mainly in the form of seperate bones and articles of clothing. The skull, a10ngwith a photograph of the deceased was forwarded to the CFSL., Hyderabad for superimposilion and was idenlified with a high degree of probability to belong to the deceased Mr.Y. (Plate 3).

Case No. 4: Mr. B., a Coolie working in Hangarahally Village of Tumkur District in Kamataka fell in love with a young woman Miss G., who reciprocated. They decided to get married, but the girl's brother Mr.

R. objected. On 5 March 1985, Mr. B. proceeded to Bangalore to meet Mr. R. who was an autorickshaw driver, to persuade him to agree to the marriage. However, he did not return and a few weeks later some skeleta! remains were recovered from a forest area near Tumkur by the Police which, invesligations suggested could belong to the missing man. The skull was forwarded to the CFSL., Hyderabad and superimposition was effected with arecent photograph of Mr. B. (plate 4). The results were highly snggestive of posilive identification and Mr. R. was convicted on the basis of this, and other evidence.

DISCUSSION and CONCLUSION

In each of the four cases mentioned where

had been done,

establishing the

i

dentity of the victim was a crucial point. In all the cases, the b

o

dies

could be recove

r

ed only in the form of skeletal remai

n

s. Individual components of

identify like sex, age, height, etc. could be established with fair amount of accuracy and

ease, but

t

o pinpoint

t

he identify posed problems. Obviously, the skull was most

important in this regard and attention was paid mainly to it for positive identi[ication.

In each of the cases arecent frontaI photograph of the face of the suspected deceased was

fortunately made available. The proforma prepared by the authors was mcticulously

followed an

d

all points were systematically recorded

es I, II). It helpcd a gre

a

t deal

in ensuring that none of the details were missed out and assisted in achieving a

scientifically satisfactory conclusion in each case. Though it cannot be denied that the

techniques

i

s stilI essentially only a cOIToborative one, while never techniques like DNA

fingerprin

ti

ng are completely conclusive, there are certain situations where the later may

not be

pr

acticable, ego decaying skull with no soft tissue. In such situations only

superimposition can afford useful information, and by

r

efining the method of

examination and comparison, a high degree of certainty in identification can be

achieved.

92 V.K. KASHYAP, VY PILLA Y

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94 V.K. KASHY AP, V.V. PILLA Y

Table ı. Identification of skulls in the present study (general aspects).

Nalure of eXLlmination i Morphomeırics ır Sex III Age CASE 1 Criteria

Complete skull w ith some frac-ture lines on the vault and

fa-cial regions. Mandible present.

Bilaterally symmetrical with no

deformities.

Prominent frontal and parietal eminences, but indistinct supra orbital ridges, glabella, fronto

-nasal junction compressed zy-goma, sm all mastoid, rounded forchead, small mandible with round chin, ete.

Third molars not erupted, reeent fusion of basiocciput and basis-phenoid, no obliteration of

ski111 sutures, Gustafson meth-od applied to incisor tooth.

CAS E 3

i Morphomeırics Complete skull with mandible. No fraetures, postrnortem loss

of most of the tceth. No defor-mities.

ır Sex Large skull wiıh prominent museular attaehment impres-sions, pronouneed glabella, su

-praorbiıal ridges and frontonasal junction, laterally arehed

zygo-ma, large mandible with square ehin, ete.

III Age All teeth erupted, suture be-tween bassioeeiput and basis-phenoid fused, sagittal suture fused posteriody. Opinion Skull belongs to human Sex is female Age is around 20 years Skull belongs to human Sex is Male Age is around 25 years CASE 2 Criteria

Complete skull with man-dible. No fraetures. Bilat

-erally symmetrieal wiıh no deformities.

Similar features as in Case ı.

Similar features as in Case ı. Gustafson method ap-plied to upper premolar tooth.

CASE 4 Complete skull with man-dible. No fraetures.

Bilat-erally symmetrieal with no deformities.

Similar features as in Case 3.

All teeth erupted, suture

between basisphenoid

fused. No obliteration of

other eranial sutures. Gustafson method applied

to molar tooth. Opinion Skull belongs to human Sex is female Age is around 20 years Skull belongs to human Sex is Male Age is around 25 years

Table II. Identification of skulls in the prescnt study (superimposition ıechnique).

CaseNo. Criıeria Opinion

2

3

4

Generaloutline of skull and jaw fining as a whole into ouıline of head and faee, eyes fitting into orbits with aLL canthuses properly aligned, eoineiding with origin of nose, nasal apenure coinciding with nose, prosthion in central line, teeth coinciding in relation to lips, upper jaw well within checks, mandible coinciding with chin.

General outline of skull and jaw fitting as a wholc into outline of head and faee, eye s fiuing into orbits with all eanthuses properly aligned, nasion coinciding with origin of nose, teeth coinciding in relation to lips, upper jaw fining well into the eontour of the faee, mandible within ehin outlinc.

General outlines of skull and ponrait coinciding with each other, eye s properiy aligned in the orbits, upper jaw well within eheeks, lower jaw coinciding with chin.

General outlines of skull and ponrait eoinciding with each othmcr, eye S propcrly aligncd in the orbits, nasion corresponding to origin of nose, prothion the central line, upper and lower jaws fiuing into chin and ehceks.

Most likcly that the skuıı and portrait belong to the same individuaı. diııo dilıO dilıO REFERENCES

Franklin, C.A. (1988) in Modi's Text Book of Medical Jurisprudence and Toxicology, 21st ed., N.M. Tripathi, Pvt. Ltd., Bombay.

2 Kashyap, V.K., Kotcswara Rao, N.R., Bhatia, R.Y.P. (1987) Pol. Res. Dev., 1987, April-Junc 12-15.

3 Krogman, W.M., 1şcan, M.Y. (1986) The J/uman Skeleton in Foren,j'ic Medicine, 2nd cd., Charles C. Thomas, Springfield, lllinois.

4 Kashyap, V.K., Pillay, V.V. (1989) I/nd. Acad. Forensic Med., 2,5-8.

Rcp rinls req ues! lo V.K. Kashyap Assistant Director

Central Forensic Seienee Laboratory, Raınanthapur, \lyderabad 500 013 India