Introduction: The significance of third molars (wisdom teeth) in medicolegal age estimation is based on the principle that these teeth have a relatively predictable pattern of development and eruption. Age holds medicolegal importance in determining criminal responsibility, consent, and eligibility for marriage, employment, and voting. It is crucial in juvenile justice, sexual assault, and medical consent. This study was conducted at a tertiary health care facility. Aims & Objectives: To correlate third molar tooth eruption with age in medicolegal age estimation cases. Materials and Methods: Method – Cross-sectional study, Sample size – 161, Inclusion criteria – children and adults brought for examination of Medicolegal cases like physical and mental capacity, Accused of rape for medical examination, Injury certificate, etc, between the estimated ages of 11 to 25 years. Exclusion criteria – 1) Children below the age of 11 years and adults above the age of 25 years. 2) Those with a history of dental extraction of the third molar tooth. 3) Previous history of surgery in the posterior jaws. 4) Previous history of any pathology or developmental anomalies like cleft palate and syndromes. 5) Congenitally missing third molars were not included. Observation & Results: In the present study, eruption of the third molar was noted between 16 to 22 years. Crown formation was noted from 11 years onwards. In almost all cases, individuals above 22 years of age exhibited third molar development, characterised by physical eruption and crown formation. Variability in the different stages of development of the third molar at different ages is noted. Conclusion: The third molar tooth eruption is one of the key factors involved in estimating age, which should be correlated with other parameters.
Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru, is one of the busiest airports in India. A one-year prospective study was conducted in the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology at Akash Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Devanahalli, to analyze the pattern of unnatural deaths subjected to autopsy under the airport’s jurisdiction. The study evaluated incidence, age and sex distribution, location of death (on board or off board), medical tourism status, seasonal variation, nationality, and manner of death. During the study period, a total of 156 unnatural deaths were subjected to autopsy, of which 45 cases were referred from the Airport Police Station. A marked male predominance was observed (n = 35; 77.8%). The majority of deaths occurred off board within airport premises or after disembarkation. Indian nationals constituted the majority of cases. A substantial proportion had documented pre-existing medical illness, with coronary artery disease being the most common comorbidity. One-third of the deceased had travelled to India for medical treatment. A seasonal peak was observed in January. External causes such as assault accounted for a small proportion of cases. The findings highlight the significant contribution of advanced age, male gender, chronic disease, and medical tourism to airport-related unnatural deaths, emphasizing the need for improved pre-flight assessment and strengthened airport emergency preparedness systemse, and medical tourism to airport-related unnatural deaths, emphasizing the need for improved pre-flight assessment and strengthened airport emergency preparedness systems1.
Background : Mechanical forces sustained to the head results in various types of skull fractures along the line of transmission of forces which is influenced by the thickness of skull, elasticity, impact velocity, impact surface characteristics, and contact period of blunt force impact. Force being a vector also influences the nature and course of skull fractures due to the variations of direction of application of force. The fractures noted during the study were fissured fractures, depressed fractures comminuted fractures, ring fractures, and suture diastasis or diastatic fractures.Methods: This is a cross sectional descriptive study that involved 130 cases of blunt trauma head autopsied in department of Forensic Medicine, Government Medical college, Kozhikode, Kerala from 2020 to 2022. The skull fractures were photographed and digitally magnified to study the course through the vault and base of skull and the course pattern and nature of fracture and fracture line evaluated. Conclusion: The fracture of skull was influenced by the direction of application of force, bony ridges, grooves and pits and the course of fracture line influenced by the thickness of the bone.
Introduction: India has the largest network of railways, providing the basic mode of transportation for passengers and freight. Railway-related deaths are either accidental or suicidal, and we may also encounter homicidal deaths by using railway tracks to mask them. Railway-related deaths are rising due to various factors, viz., unmanned level crossings, lack of safety precautions during entraining or detraining, poor infrastructure, and poor safety measures. This study was conducted to determine the manner of death and the various patterns of injuries encountered in fatal railway-related deaths. Material and methodology: All the cases of fatal railway-related deaths brought for the autopsy to our mortuary from January 2023 to December 2024 were considered for the study. The data was collected from the Inquest report, postmortem report, relatives of the deceased, and police regarding the circumstances of death. The data was analysed systematically. Results: A total of 99 cases were observed during the study period. Maximum fatalities (37.4%) were reported among the age group of 31-40 years. Majority of the deceased were male (99%); among them, 74 (74.8%) were known individuals and 25 (25.2%) were unknown. The maximum number of deaths observed was from 12 pm to 6 pm (33.3%), followed by 6 pm to 12 am (28.3%). Most of the deaths were accidental (72.7%) and in 16.2% of cases, the manner of death cannot be ascertained. The majority of accidental deaths were due to trespassing (65.3%). Injuries to the head were observed in most of the cases (56.1%). Among the 99 cases, Shock and Hemorrhage was the most observed cause of death (35.4%), followed by Head injury (26.3%).
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has given rise to a new technology called Deepfake. Deepfake Technology (DT) involves replacing one person's face with that of another in digital content, often for malicious purposes. The most prominent model that operates behind Deepfake is the Generative Adversarial Network (GAN), which operates autonomously. It creates convincingly forged content from a variety of inputs. DT raises significant concerns among legal experts and scholars and has become a worldwide phenomenon due to its easy accessibility and wide availability. The impact of DT can be seen in areas such as politics, journalism, and the legal system. Although DT has potential positive uses as well as negative ones, the detrimental consequences tend to overshadow the benefits. The rapid global spread of DT underscores the urgent need for effective detection methods. Several techniques, such as Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), MesoNet, face detection, and multimedia forensics, are discussed here. This paper provides a brief overview of Deepfake technology, its developing field, the associated threats, and the methods used for detection. Deepfake encompasses a broad range of applications, which are also covered here. It can offer creative advantages while simultaneously posing significant risks. The technology for detection is advancing quickly in tandem with improvements in Information and Communication Technology (ICT). The primary emphasis of this paper is on examining the different techniques available for detecting this emerging field.
