EVALUATION OF STATURE AND BODYWEIGHT USING ANTHROPOMETRIC ANATOMY OF HANDPRINTS IN NORTH INDIAN POPULATION: A FORENSIC APPROACH

Abstract Background: Estimation of stature and body weight is a fundamental step in forensic identification and biological profiling of human remains or suspects. Due to significant ethnic and geographic variability in body proportions, this study aimed to evaluate the correlation of various handprint anthropometric parameters with stature and body weight specifically in the North Indian population. Methods: Bilateral handprints were collected from 300 healthy adult subjects. Eight parameters were measured for both hands using a digital vernier caliper: Handprint Length (HPL), Handprint Breadth (HPB), Palm Print Length (PPL), and the lengths of the Thumb, Index, Middle, Ring, and little fingers (TPL, IPL, MPL, RPL, LPL). Stature and body weight were also recorded. Statistical analysis involved calculating Pearson's correlation coefficients to assess the relationship between handprint dimensions and the two biological parameters. Results: Several handprint dimensions showed strong positive correlations with stature. Specifically, the Left Handprint Length (LHPL) (r> 0.76, p < 0.001) and Right Ring Fingerprint Length (RRPL) (r> 0.73, p < 0.001) exhibited the strongest relationships, confirming the reliability of hand anthropometry. For body weight, the Right Handprint Breadth (RHPB) (r> 0.6, p < 0.001) and Left handprint breadth (LHPB) (r> 0.59, p < 0.001) demonstrated the most significant correlation. Conclusion: Handprint dimensions show statistically significant correlations with stature and body weight in the North Indian population. The findings underscore the need for developing population-specific prediction models based on handprint anthropometry to enhance forensic methodologies for accurate stature and weight estimation, thereby improving criminal investigations and unidentified body profiling.