Crisis at Vimsar: 500+ Autopsy Reports Backlogged, Forensic Investigations Delayed |
Sambalpur: Over 500 postmortem reports remain pending at the VSS Institute of Medical Science and Research (Vimsar), Burla, raising concerns about delays in forensic investigations.
According to official records, 512 autopsy reports are currently backlogged, with 104 cases from 2022, 105 from 2023 and 303 cases pending until November 8, 2024.
Vimsar’s forensic medicine department, staffed by four faculty members, handles postmortems for Sambalpur district and referral cases from Bargarh and Sonepur. The department receives approximately 160-170 bodies monthly, including cases of snakebite, sunstroke, murder, drowning and poisoning.
“Many reports are already prepared but await collection by police personnel,” Dr Seema Parei, head of the forensic medicine department, said, adding, “We cannot release them to family members. Some cases require additional documentation and treatment records from police jurisdictions to determine the cause of death.”
The department faces multiple challenges, including faculty members’ teaching responsibilities, research work, and court appearances. The situation is further complicated by Vimsar’s location in the western agricultural belt, which leads to higher numbers of poisoning and accident cases.
Dr Lal Mohan Naik, Vimsar superintendent, acknowledged the delays, stating, “We are working to resolve cases delayed from our end. However, police need to submit treatment records of the deceased for complete analysis.”
Responding to the situation, IG (northern division) Himanshu Lal said, “Police coordination is mainly handled by the outpost. We will investigate these pending cases with our personnel.”
According to official records, 512 autopsy reports are currently backlogged, with 104 cases from 2022, 105 from 2023 and 303 cases pending until November 8, 2024.
Vimsar’s forensic medicine department, staffed by four faculty members, handles postmortems for Sambalpur district and referral cases from Bargarh and Sonepur. The department receives approximately 160-170 bodies monthly, including cases of snakebite, sunstroke, murder, drowning and poisoning.
“Many reports are already prepared but await collection by police personnel,” Dr Seema Parei, head of the forensic medicine department, said, adding, “We cannot release them to family members. Some cases require additional documentation and treatment records from police jurisdictions to determine the cause of death.”
The department faces multiple challenges, including faculty members’ teaching responsibilities, research work, and court appearances. The situation is further complicated by Vimsar’s location in the western agricultural belt, which leads to higher numbers of poisoning and accident cases.
Dr Lal Mohan Naik, Vimsar superintendent, acknowledged the delays, stating, “We are working to resolve cases delayed from our end. However, police need to submit treatment records of the deceased for complete analysis.”
Responding to the situation, IG (northern division) Himanshu Lal said, “Police coordination is mainly handled by the outpost. We will investigate these pending cases with our personnel.”
