Army doc’s death: Dad suspects murder

Army doc’s death: Dad suspects murder
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Panaji: With the army doctor Manu Yadav’s father still insisting that his son was ‘murdered in a well-planned manner’, the police are now sending the viscera to ascertain whether any sedative, hypnotics or anaesthetic drugs can be detected which may point to homicidal hanging.
The 26-year-old army doctor was found hanging in his bathroom around 9.15 am on August 8. Three days after the body was found hanging from a nylon rope in the bathroom, his father Dr Hariram Yadav had alleged foul play and said that his son would have never committed suicide.
The police surgeon’s autopsy report also didn’t suggest whether the death was suicidal or homicidal.
The report states that the death of Dr Manu occurred due to constriction of the neck caused by partial hanging (one of the deceased’s legs was touching a stool) and no opinion as to the manner of death has been given.
However, after going through the autopsy report, the father raised several questions and said that the details in the report suggest murder. In a letter to the police, he alleged that the abrasion marks on his son, the pateheal hemorrhage on the left and right leg and injury of the elbow suggests strangulation.
As a result of this, the Goa police wrote to the the forensic department head Dr Silvano Sapeco to constitute a board to look into the queries raised by the father. The 2 member board headed by Dr Sapeco, in their report stated that after discussing the queries raised by the father they have come to a conclusion that it may be a suicidal or homicidal death.
The report mentioned: “Whenever in doubt, rely more on circumstances of every individual case to prove or disprove a case by an investigating agency”.
“The report submitted by the board doesn’t indicate anything. We can’t conclude that it is murder relying on what the father is alleging,” said SP (North) Bosco George.
He added, “In his suicide note, Dr Manu has clearly stated that he was committing suicide because he felt guilty. There must have been an abetment to suicide, but it’s definitely not murder. If any incriminating evidence comes to light, we will take cognizance to murder”.

September 7, 2008, The Times of India , Goa edition