40 Injuries on Kanjhawala Accident Victim’s Body: What Post Mortem Report Says

(Trigger warning: Description of violence, gory details.)

Video Producer: Shohini Bose

Video Editor: Purnendu Pritam

“Brain matter missing,” “cranial cavity open,” “scalp avulsed” and “ribs exposed from the back of the chest” and 40 injuries in all are a part of the post-mortem (PM) report's findings of the 20-year-old woman who was killed, dragged by a car in Delhi’s Kanjhawala on 1 January.  

The PM was conducted by a medical board of three doctors of the Forensic Medicine department of Delhi’s Maulana Azad Medical College on 2 January.  

As per the 10-page report, “some of the injuries were inconspicuous due to blackening, smudging and brush burn effects.”  

Victim Anjali Singh's PM report also states that “no injury was present to the genitalia.”

What Happened on 1 January?

In the wee hours of 1 January, a grey Baleno car hit a two-wheeler being driven by 20-year-old Anjali Singh in outer Delhi’s Sultanpuri. The woman’s body got stuck under the car and got dragged for several kilometres.  

Her mangled, semi-naked body was found in Kanjhawala at about 4.40 am. As per the brief history of the case in the PM report, she was taken to Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital (SGMH) in Delhi’s Mongolpuri, where she was declared dead on arrival at 7 am.  

Five men in their mid-20s have been arrested and an FIR has been filed under IPC sections pertaining to rash driving, culpable homicide not amounting to murder, and death due to negligence. 

On 3 January, Delhi Police’s Special CP (Law and Order) Sagar Preet Hooda said that Singh was not alone at the time of the accident. A woman, who was riding pillion, was present at the time of the incident. “She didn’t suffer any injuries and fled. She is an eyewitness in the case, and is cooperating with the police,” he said.  

Singh was the sole breadwinner of her family, and is survived by her five siblings, mother, and grandmother.  

What Does the PM Report Say? 

The PM report states that Singh suffered injuries on the spine, forehead, face, neck, forearm, wrist, legs, head, abdomen, knee joint, thighs, ribs, lower back and buttocks.  

The board states in the report that “routine viscera has been preserved for chemical analysis,” as well as “blood on gauze,” and “torn jeans pant.”  

The report states, “All injuries collectively can cause death in ordinary course of nature. However, injury to the head, spine, long bones and other injuries can also cause death independently and collectively in ordinary course of time.”  

As per the PM report, “all injuries were produced by blunt force impact and possible with vehicular accident and dragging. The final opinion will be given after receipt of chemical analysis and biological samples’ reports.”  

What is the Nature of Injuries?  

Here are some of the findings of the PM report

• All bilateral ribs with sharpened end after grinding effect with muscles, soft tissues and bones exposed 

• Lacerated wounds with grinding effect present over lower back and bilateral buttocks with underlying fracture of sacral bone 

• Avulsed scalp smudged with mud and dirt  

• Cranial cavity of skull open with grinding effect  

• Fracture of the base of skull  

• Abrasion on knees  

• Lacerated wounds over right and left side of forehead 

• Contusion over nose 

• Grazed abrasion over left side of face 

• Contusion over right and left side of forehead  

• Contusions near upper eyelids, eyebrows 

• Contusions over upper and lower lips 

• Contusion over chin  

• Abrasions on neck 

• Abrasions over the abdomen  

• Lacerated wounds with grinding effect on arms and forearms  

• Grazed abrasions with underlying muscles, soft tissues and bones exposed 

• Lacerated wounds with grinding effect present over the back of right hand