GOVERNMENT DOON MEDICAL COLLEGE
DEHRADUN (UTTARAKHAND)
Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology
Forensic Medicine, also known as Legal Medicine, is the branch of medical science that applies scientific and medical knowledge to legal matters such as Death Inquests, Police Investigations, and Court proceedings. It is a multidisciplinary field encompassing medicolegal matters Viz. forensic pathology, medical jurisprudence, forensic psychiatry, forensic odontology, forensic radiology, and forensic & clinical toxicology etc.
The Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology (FMT) at Government Doon Medical College, Dehradun, was established in 2016 to cater to the tertiary-level medicolegal needs of Dehradun district.
Our department comprises specialist doctors with MBBS and MD (Forensic Medicine & Toxicology) qualifications, who work closely with law enforcement, magistrates, and judicial authorities to ensure justice through scientific expertise.
Department of Forensic Medicine at the Government Doon Medical college and associated Doon Hospital involved in:
- Teaching of MBBS, MD, Paramedical students, and Training of Doctors, Medical personnels, staffs etc and other academic activities.
- Medicolegal reporting related to assault, poisoning, and other injury cases.
- Crime scene investigation in coordination with police authorities.
- Expert opinion to various law enforcement and judicial agencies.
- Postmortem examinations of cases brought by police and referral institutions.
- Evening/night postmortems (with permission from the District Magistrate).
- Exhumations and examination of skeletal remains.
- Examination of sexual offence accused persons and support in victims.
- Drunkenness examination and age estimation reporting.
- Examination of weapons and bones for medicolegal evidence.
- Court Evidences and Expert testimony.
- Training of medical and paramedical personnel in medicolegal documentation.
- Active participation in COVID-19 body management as per national guidelines.
- Research and innovation in the field of forensic medicine and toxicology.
- Department is using MedLEaPR software for Reporting all MLCs.
Location
- Department: 3rd Floor, Main College Building (Administrative Block), above the Departments of Biochemistry and Anatomy.
- Mortuary: Within the old Doon Hospital campus, Gate No. 1.
- Postmortem House: Awaiting State Government approval for an independent facility. At present, postmortem work is carried out at District (Coronation) Hospital, Dalanwala, under the Chief Medical Officer, Dehradun.
Infrastructure
The department has well-equipped facilities designed for teaching, training, and medicolegal work:
- HOD Chamber
- Faculty Rooms (3)
- Senior Resident/PG Room
- Tutor/Demonstrator Room
- Library-cum-Seminar-cum-Moot Court Hall
- Forensic Museum
- Demonstration Halls (2)
- Medico-legal Examination Room
- Department Office
- Staff Room
- Store and Record Room
- Laboratory Store
- Common Laboratory Block
- Research Laboratory
- Mortuary Block- available in the old building campus of Doon Hospital.
- Postmortem House- under process
Teaching Programmes:
- MBBS: Phase II & III
- Postgraduate: MD (FMT) 3 years (3 seats per year)
- Paramedical: Bachelor of Operation Theatre Technology (BOTT), Year I
The Department is involved in medicolegal work- daily 24/7 day.
Sr. No. | Name | Designation |
1 | Dr. Niraj Kumar, MD FMT | Professor & Head of the Department |
2 | Dr. Vivek Mangare, MD FMT | Associate Professor |
Medico-legal Work
The department conducts all types of medicolegal investigations, including injury reporting, poisoning cases, postmortem examinations, exhumations, and court testimonies. Postmortems are presently performed at District (Coronation) Hospital in coordination with the Chief Medical Officer, Dehradun.
Museum
The Forensic Museum displays educational models, charts, and specimens illustrating various medicolegal topics such as types of injuries, causes of unnatural deaths, firearm wounds, burns, and poisoning. Specimens include irritant, corrosive, and systemic poisons, and preserved wet specimens of vital organs (brain, liver, spleen, kidney, etc.) relevant to postmortem evaluation.
Student Laboratory
A spacious laboratory accommodates up to 90 students per session, providing hands-on training in forensic techniques and specimen analysis.
Research Laboratory
A well-equipped laboratory for Departmental, and Postgraduate research works, and Medicolegal Examination Reporting.
Court Evidence
Faculty members and residents regularly appear in courts across Uttarakhand and other states as expert witnesses in medicolegal cases.
Court Video-Conferencing (VC) Facility
In accordance with the High Court of Uttarakhand Video Conferencing Rules, 2020, the Department of Forensic Medicine provides Remote Point Video-Conferencing facility for doctors and other authorized witnesses who are required to depose before courts. Requests for VC appearance must be submitted to the department through the prescribed proforma available in the office.
This facility is operational at both the Government Doon Medical College campus and the associated Doon Hospital, ensuring timely and efficient support for judicial proceedings.
The department is actively involved in teaching undergraduate (MBBS), postgraduate (MD FMT), and paramedical (BOTT) students through lectures, practicals, seminars, moot courts, workshops, and field visits.
Teaching Programmes:
- MBBS: Phase II & III (150 Seats)
- Postgraduate: MD (FMT) 3 years (3 seats per year)
- Paramedical: Bachelor of Operation Theatre Technology (BOTT), Year I
Special Training Activities:
- Moot court exercises and role plays.
- Collaborative Academic activities with police departments.
- Court Visit by students.
- Collaborative academic activities with other Higher institutions.
- Quizzes, seminars, and poster-making competitions.
- MLC documentation workshops and postmortem demonstrations.
External Training, Collaboration & Lectures:
Department faculty serve as resource persons for medicolegal and death investigation training programmes organized for police, judicial officers, and legal professionals by various agencies.
Appears as Speaker, Judge Panel, and Chairperson at various Conferences, Workshop and Seminars
Research and Publications
The department is actively engaged in research, with faculty and postgraduate students publishing in national and international journals. Many Research and project works are underway.
Selected Publications:
- Kumar N, Singh AK. Suicidal pattern of cases brought to mortuary of a tertiary care centre. Indian J Forensic Community Med. 2015;2(4):214–9.
- Kumar N, Singh AK, Singh RKP. Pattern of mechanical injuries in fatal interpersonal violence cases in a tertiary care centre. J Indian Acad Forensic Med. 2015;37(4):381–4.
- Kumar L, Kumar N, Alam S, Singh B. Forensic anthropology – Lip print pattern in North Indians. J Punjab Acad Forensic Med Toxicol. 2017;17(2):72–6.
- Kumar N, Mangare V, Kandpal N, Bajpei A. Autopsy-based profile of drowning cases at a tertiary care centre near a hilly river. Indian J Forensic Community Med. 2019;6(1):28–32.
- Kumar N, Kumar L. A retrospective study of fatal road traffic accident cases in a hilly region of Uttarakhand. J Punjab Acad Forensic Med Toxicol. 2020;20(2):61–5.
- Kumar N, Mangare V, Ravi BK. Attitudes and awareness regarding dignity, respect, and bioethical considerations for human corpse among medical students. Afr J Biol Sci. 2024;6(5):921–30.
- Kumar N, Mangare V, Pathak D. Histopathological study of adrenal glands in flame burn cases: An original research study. Biomed Res. 2024;35(2):1–4.
Events
- Police Headquarters visit for firearm demonstration
- Quiz competitions
- Moot court sessions and role plays
- Workshops on medicolegal documentation and evidence handling
- Training of doctors in medico-legal procedures
- AESI Training Programs
- Simulation Based Training
- TOTs
- Dr. Niraj Kumar - Best Teacher Award by the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Uttarakhand in 2021.
- Dr. Niraj Kumar - Best Teacher Award by the Hon’ble Health Minister of Uttarakhand in 2022.
- Dr. Niraj Kumar- appreciation award of Best Doctors by the University Vice Chancellor and Director of Medical Education- 2023
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