Kelwa beach burials: The post-mortem that never happened

Three years after Dahisar youth Nasim Shaikh (23) went missing, his family is slowly realising how badly the police have bungled the entire investigation.

(From left) Nasim Shaikh's father Rafique Shaikh, sister Anusuya Gaud and deputy sarpanch Rajendra Patil search for the youth's remains at the Kelwa beach, Edwan. Pics/Shadab Khan

For years, the Shaikhs believed what the police told them - that Nasim's body had washed ashore at Mathane beach in Kelwa just days after his disappearance, and that they even performed a post-mortem on the body. Now, it turns out there was never a post-mortem, and the family is not sure how much of the police's story was a lie.

Also read - Kelwa Beach Burials: Cops find skull fragment, autopsy reports 'questionable'

Dr S S Dhengle signed as the doctor performing the autopsy and also signed as the supervising officer (right) for the same procedure

The Kelwa police and local health officials claim that they performed autopsies on two unidentified bodies found at Mathane beach on July 11, 2014. One of the bodies is believed to be that of Nasim, as the description of his clothes matches those found on the deceased (T-shirt and trousers). However, as mid-day had reported on September 24, DNA testing proved inconclusive twice.

Also read - Kelwa beach burials: Cops unable to find buried remains

These DNA samples were said to be removed during post-mortem, but mid-day's investigation of the documents reveals several irregularities in these documents. This reporter also spoke to an eyewitness - the former village sarpanch - who clearly states that no post-mortem was performed on the bodies. Instead, the bodies were buried at the beach the same day.

Also read: Is man buried in hurry at Kelwa beach missing Dahisar youth?

Post-mortem of the autopsy

• The PM report states that three samples were taken from the body for DNA analysis - a piece of the left femur, an incisor tooth and hair from the scalp. But the lab made no mention of the hair.
• Neither of the PM reports mentions an Accidental Death Report (ADR) number for reference. On the other hand, the laboratory reports (both copies with mid-day) cite the ADR no 10/2014. Because of this discrepancy, it can no longer be proved that the samples are from the same case.
• According to the paperwork, the PM was conducted by Dr S S Dhengle, Medical Officer at Public health center, Edwan, Palghar district. Dr Dhengle has a BAMS (Bachelor of Ayurveda Medicine and Surgery) degree, which does not qualify her to carry out PMs.
• Oddly, Dr Dhengle not only signed as the doctor performing the autopsy, but also signed as the supervising officer for the same procedure - effectively, she was supervising her own work.
• The two PM reports are identical, down to the time of the procedure. Both PM reports state that the procedure began at 4.45 pm and ended at 5.15 pm, and both were performed by Dr Dhengle. It is humanly impossible to conduct two autopsies simultaneously.
• The final cause of death was given as 'death due to cardio-respiratory failure due to asphyxia due to drowning'. There was no mention of internal and external injuries, but Nasim's family saw remember the Kelwa police mentioning that the face and eyeballs had been eaten by fish.

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