This treatise is designed to provide a brief and essentially practical guide to current teaching in Forensic
Medicine with pmticular reference to India. The subject matter has been dealt with concisely, which is easy
to grasp and simplified in presentation, and wherever necessary illustrations, tables and points have been
inserted to help the students. The airn is to provide reasonable coverage of the subject as a whole. An attempt
has been made to maintain the practical character of the book. I hope the reader will find it of immense help
while dealing with any medicolegal case. Over and above, the book has been entirely revised and special
additions and alterations have also been made and the overall text brought up-to-date.
It is intended ptimarily to meet the needs of the undergraduate medical students, to have clear grasp of
this subject. Certain topics, such as forensic ballistics, regional injuries, anesthetic and operative deaths, DNA
fingerprinting and blood stains have been dealt with in detail to meet the requirements of medical officers.
Even where less attention is given to some topics, sufficient has been included to meet the requirements of
medicolegal experts. Every endeavour has been made to preclude the identification of the deceased from the
photographs. A few new topics, such as procedure to be followed in dealing with medicolegal cases, virtual
autopsy have been incorporated. The undergraduate medical students may omit the text printed in
smaller type, except tables, which is meant only for medical officers. It is also useful to medical officers
in Government service who have to undertake medicolegal work, medical practitioners, members of the legal
profession and other law enforcement officers. I have consulted various textbooks and periodicals in the
preparation of this book, to the authors of which, I am grateful. The opinions expressed in the text are entirely
mine. I am also grateful to many friends and professional colleagues for their help and advice and to all those
whose comments and criticisms have helped to keep revisions of this book accurate and up-to-date, which
is hereby acknowledged wholeheartedly. It is requested that the discrepancies, if any noticed may please be
intimated to me, so that it may be taken care of in the next edition. Suggestions for improvement are welcome.
The physical pathology of trauma alters little over the years, but academic and practical approaches to
the subject do evolve. Accordingly, I have attempted to introduce new ideas. It is said that the proof of the
pudding lies in the eating. The popularity of the previous editions of this title prompted the publication of this
edition. It is hoped that this edition will be warmly welcomed just like the previous editions of this treatise.