THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The forensic doctors of Alappuzha TD Medical College have refuted the reports that there was negligence in conducting the post-mortem of the dalit girl Jisha, who was raped and murdered at Perumbavur on April 28. It was Dr. Liza John, 42, associate professor, who did the post-mortem.
The department of forensic medicine has rallied behind her against the speculation that a PG student had done it in her absence. Deccan Chronicle has in its possession the sequence of events from receiving the body on April 29 to the dispatch of the post-mortem report on May 4.
It reveals that Thiruvananthapuram native Dr. Liza John was the medical officer-in-charge that day. She was taking a lecture class for the third-year MBSS students when Dr. Amjith. E. Kutty, the seniormost PG student on duty at the autopsy room at 3 p.m., informed Dr. Liza about a new case (Perumbavur rape victim) which had come for autopsy.
According to Dr. B. Krishnan, assistant professor in forensic medicine, third-year MBBS students were given permission by Dr. Liza and a team was formed headed by herself and Dr. Amjith to undertake the autopsy. “The autopsy procedure was completed by 6.30 p.m. which was jointly done by Dr. Liza and Dr. Amjith. In fact, the procedure was witnessed by several MBBS students. The autopsy notes were taken down by the house surgeon on duty. Another doctor, N. Anil Kumar proceeded with two other cases which were brought in by 6.30 p.m.,” Dr. Krishnan told DC.
He added that contrary to media reports, Alappuzha medical college principal Dr. B. Jayalekha was yet to submit a report on the issue to the government. Dr. Krishnan also alleged that health secretary Dr. B. Elangovan was pressurised to seek an inquiry after a section of the media created a controversy citing that the autopsy was done by Dr. Amjith alone.
Dr. Amjith has been working as a provisional lecturer in the forensic department and has to his credit 500 autopsies in three years which also include doing six murder cases independently. Dr. Liza told DC that the protocol and the discipline of the department had been observed meticulously and that the facts were distorted by a section of the media.
