New Delhi: Former prime minister Indira
Gandhi`s killer Satwant Singh was curios to know how many
bullet injuries she had suffered, claims the AIIMS medico who
carried out post-mortem on her body that suffered 30 such
fatal wounds.
Dr T D Dogra, who is now head of Forensic Department at
AIIMS, was assistant professor when he was deputed to carry out
the post-mortem along with two other experts.
Dogra came face-to-face with Singh while deposing before
the trial court as a prosecution witness, he said.
During a recess, he went to toilet where he met Singh.
According to Dogra, an unrepentant Satwant Singh had said in a satirical tone, "Maaf keejiye, doctor saab meri wajah se apko takleef ho
rahi hai (I am sorry doctor for the troubles you are facing
because of me)”.
He asked Dr Dogra in Hindi heavy with Punjabi accent,
"How many bullet injuries did she receive?" to which he did
not get any reply from the medico.
Dr Dogra recalled the moments of this brief interaction
with the hardened militant who along with his friend Beant
Singh had pumped in 30 bullets on Indira`s body.
Beant Singh was shot by security guards after the
assassination while Satwant Singh, who had received 10 bullet
injuries, was arrested by police.
Singh was sentenced to death along with another
accomplice Kehar Singh, which was carried out on January 6,
1989 in Tihar Jail.
"Initially, I knew through a policemen that she has been
brought to AIIMS after being shot. I received a call to
conduct the post-mortem at 2.30 pm on October 31, 1984. I was
accompanied by Dr D V Saharan and Dr P C Dixit," he said.
According to post-mortem report prepared by him, death of
the then prime minister resulted from excessive bleeding
caused by bullet injuries.
"The assailants had shot 31 bullets at her of which 30
had hit. 23 bullets had passed through her body while seven
were trapped inside. The rib-cage was ruptured, portion of
liver was missing, diaphragm was pierced by bullets," Dr Dogra
said.
The post-mortem had started at three in the afternoon in
the operation theatre and not in the mortuary which is the
usual practise, he said, adding the process was concluded at
5.30 in the evening.
PTI
