Dr. B. Umadethan, Professor and Head of Forensic Medicine at Amrita School of Medicine, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS), Kochi has authored the first book of Forensic Medicine in Malayalam- “Kuttanweshanathile Vaidyasastram” (Medical Science in Crime Detection).
“This book is written with the objective of imparting basic knowledge to the police trainees and officers so that they will develop skills in scientific criminal investigation. Stress is given to the practical aspects of Forensic Medicine and scientific methods of investigation,” shared Dr. Umadethan.
The formats of common medicolegal forms and requisitions are appended wherever necessary for the ready reference of the investigating officers. The points to be observed and materials to be collected in all types of unnatural deaths are also included. Forwards for the book were written by Mr. Jacob Punnoose IPS, former Director General of Police and State Police Chief, Kerala and Mr. Balasubramonian IPS, present Director General of Police, Kerala.
Sri. K.T. Thomas, former Justice of Supreme Court, wrote the introduction to the book, “I have great pleasure in introducing this monumental work to the readers. I have two reasons, mainly, to feel so happy about it. First is that my own experience (as counsel practiced actively for seventeen years, thereafter as judge at three different levels (Sessions Court, High Court and the Supreme Court) showed that proper awareness of medical aspects has wholesome usefulness in unfurling the truth in criminal cases. Second is the impression I formed about the author for over a period of three decades that he is a connoisseur in the field of forensic medicine. A perusal of this book provided me the perception that the author’s angle has reached many new areas. He has taken pains to collect important decisions of the Supreme Court of India which dealt with medical jurisprudence and he has cited them at appropriate contexts delineated in this book. Such references will give a fair idea to the students as well as members of the faculty, apart from their utility to the members of legal profession, regarding the contours of the subject being developed now. In due course of time this book will become an oft-quoted work in criminal courts and the extracts there from will become oft-quoted passages in judgments also”.
The 800 pages book published by M/S DC Books, Kottayam, Kerala is priced at Rs 595. E-book is also available.
Dr. Umadethan’s other works include: ‘Science in the Detection of Crime’, ‘Investigation of Unnatural Death’; ‘Practical Forensic Medicine’, ‘Forensic Medicine for the Police’, ‘Forensic Medicine for the Medicos’; ‘Memoirs of a Police Surgeon’ ‘Oru Police Surgeonte Ormakkurippukal (Malayalam) and the magnum opus ‘Principles and Practice of Forensic Medicine.’
October 31, 2014
Amrita School of Medicine, Kochi
