Exhumation – Nuisance to the dead, justified?

ObjectiveExhumation stands as a very significant feature of forensic investigations. The legal excavation of dead bodies for ascertainment of the cause of death has always aided the law enforcement agencies to comprehend the anonymity of any suspicious case and further convict the criminal in cases of homicides. This study analyses the different aspects of the exhumations which were carried out and were autopsied in Karachi during the study period.MethodThis was a cross-sectional study, and included all the exhumations carried out in Karachi during a period of 7 years and 7 months from 1 January 2004 to 31 July 2011.ResultsA total of 101 exhumations were carried out during the study period. Out of 101 cases, 63 were males (62.4%) and 38 females (37.6%) giving a male to female ratio of about 3:2. Causes of death were ascertained in 75 cases, thus the success rate was 74.3%. Head injury by hitting with hard blunt object was the most frequent cause of deaths (17.8%), followed by asphyxia due to strangulation (15.8%).DiscussionExhumations must be ordered by the Judiciary in suspicious cases as it aids in determining the actual causes of death and leads to convictions. It also brings a great deal of satisfaction for the relatives of the deceased and halts any doubts in their minds. As shown by our study, much attention is given to the cases in urban areas by the relatives who are determined to find the cause of death even after burial procedures.