Post-mortem report of Dalit youth not up to expectation: HC

The body of a Dalit youth was found along a rail track last week.

Chennai: The Madras High Court on Wednesday said the post-mortem report of the Dalit youth, whose body was found along a rail track last week, is not up to its expectation and directed a two-member expert team, independent of government or that sought by petitioners to re-examine it.

The bench comprising Justices V Dhanapalan and CT Selvam made this observation when the matter came up for hearing. It directed the experts to examine the body of Ilavarasan and take X-ray if needed and frame an opinion on the likelihood or otherwise of any internal injuries. The Bench said it would be open for them to do further clinical or surgical examination as considered necessary and inform it through a report tomorrow, and which should be submitted to the court by 10.30 AM on Friday. The experts are Dr Thangaraj, Head, Department of Forensic Medicine, SRM College and Research Centre, Potheri in Kancheepuram district and Dr P Sampathkumar, Professor of Forensic Medicine and vice-principal, Sri Ramachandra Medical College, Porur in Chennain. Yesterday, a seven-member expert team had submitted individual reports on the autopsy and copies were handed over to counsels concerned. The bench found fault with the report of Associate Professor Rajamani Bheema Rao, saying such a very brief report was not expected, especially when they had called for expert opinion. The Bench said it had no reason to suspect any wrongdoing in conduct of the Post-mortem, but it felt it is necessary to consider that the cry for justice by the downtrodden and oppressed not go unheard and the Court should appropriately respond. It then posted the matter for further hearing on Friday. 23-year old Ilavarasan, whose marriage to a upper caste girl triggered anti-Dalit violence in three villages of Dharmapuri district in November last,was found dead along a railway track on July 4, a day after his wife said she would never go back to him. While the post-mortem concluded that he had died of serious head injuries, his family members and Dalit outfits have maintained that he had been done to death. PTI