Meticulous Autopsy Leads to Retrieval of Projectile—A Case Report

In India, autopsy of bodies brought to mortuary are conducted by medical officers or by forensic medicine experts. During autopsy, doctors usually preserve all objects found on or in the body of the deceased, which may have anything to do with the cause of death, or which may furnish clues useful in the apprehension and conviction of the assailant. However, in difficult situation regarding cause of death, mode of death and manner of death, the dead body is referred to the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology (FMT) to conduct autopsy. In firearm injuries, bullet retrieval from the body and determination of the missile trajectory may also be useful to for judicial authorities, security forces. We present a case where the body after partial autopsy was referred to FMT in want of retrieval of projectile, and thus highlighting the role of forensic medicine expert and practical knowledge of FMT at the peripheral level.