Cops to order facial reconstruction to ascertain identity of murder victim

The police in Mumbai are resorting to facial reconstruction at KEM Hospital in an attempt to identify a woman whose decomposed body was found at Worli Sea Face. The body was discovered on July 4, and the police have been unable to ascertain the woman's identity. They have sent the skull to the forensic department for facial reconstruction in the hopes of solving the murder case.

MUMBAI: The Worli police have decided to resort to a facial reconstruction process at the forensic department of KEM Hospital after they were unable to ascertain the identity of a woman whose decomposed body was found at Worli Sea Face around a fortnight ago.

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“We found the body behind INS Trata in the Worli Koliwada area on July 4,” said a police officer from Worli police station. “A man, who had ventured into the area to answer Nature’s call, saw a plastic sack with a woman’s legs sticking out and a foul smell emanating from it. He dialled the police control room, after which our teams reached the spot.”

According to the police, the body had become putrefied and had floated to the spot from somewhere else along the coast. After examination, Nair Hospital opined that the deceased was in the age group of 22 to 30 years and was killed around seven days before the body was found.

The woman was wearing a kurta-salwar and a locket with an image of Shiva and Hanuman. She also had a black silk cord tied to one of her legs. “There was nothing apart from this which could help us identify the deceased, as the body was completely decomposed,” said a police officer. “We immediately formed several teams to crack the case.”

The police first got in touch with the regional port officer to get an idea of the sea currents and where the body could have floated in from. “He told us that it could have come from northern areas like Gujarat, Palghar, Mira-Bhayandar and Vasai,” said a police officer. “Accordingly, we got in touch with these districts, asked for a list of all the women reported missing from Thane, Navi Mumbai, Kalyan, Bhiwandi, Vasai, Virar and Mira-Bhayandar.”

The police concentrated on areas near the sea like Virar, Vasai, Versova, Juhu, Bandra, Malwani, Gorai, Bhayandar and Palghar and sent out teams to gather details of women reported missing from there. “We have already checked the details of around 300 missing women and spoken to their family members, but have not found anybody matching the description of the deceased,” said the police officer.

The police have now decided to go in for forensic facial reconstruction which, in the past, has helped investigators solve two missing cases. We have sent the skull of the deceased woman for facial reconstruction to KEM Hospital,” said the police officer. “We hope it will provide us with some clues to identify her and crack the murder case.”

Facial reconstruction plays a major role in identifying human remains when the chances of DNA or fingerprint-matching are bleak. In 2018, KEM Hospital became the first in Maharashtra to perform facial reconstruction in a suspected murder case. “The procedure may not be 100 percent accurate but a fairly close representation of the victim is what we need for identification,” said an officer. The process involves a combination of scientific methods and artistic skills.

Depending on the condition of the skull, it takes between one and two months to complete the facial reconstruction. “Every human being has their own unique facial points like fingerprints,” the officer added. “Calculating all these facial points, the experts place clay or flesh units on it and prepare a face that resembles the deceased.”

The Worli police have registered a case under Sections 302 (murder) and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence or giving false information to screen offender) of the Indian Penal Code in the matter against unknown accused.