40 injuries tell the story of Anjali’s horror, police rule out sexual assault

Anjali Singh had died in the early hours of Sunday, when she was on her way home. A Baleno had hit her scooter, following which her body got stuck underneath the vehicle, and was dragged for at least 10 kilometres.

Cranial cavity open, fracture of the base of the skull and ribs exposed from the back of the chest – these are some of the findings of the post-mortem conducted on 20-year-old Anjali Singh’s body, The Indian Express has learnt. A panel of three doctors from Maulana Azad Medical College who conducted the autopsy has ruled “shock and haemorrhage as a result of antemortem injury to the head, spine, left femur and both lower limbs” as the provisional cause of death.

“All injuries collectively can cause death in ordinary course of nature. However, injury to the head, spine, long bones and other injuries can cause death independently and collectively in ordinary course of nature. All injuries produced by blunt force impact and possible with vehicular accident and dragging,” it states. “However, final opinion will be given after receipt of chemical analysis and biological sample reports.”

Singh had died in the early hours of Sunday, when she was on her way home. A Baleno had hit her scooter, following which her body got stuck underneath the vehicle, and was dragged for at least 10 kilometres. By the time the body was found, her clothes had been torn off, and her back was completely scraped.

The post-mortem report records a total of 40 “antemortem external injuries” – mostly lacerated wounds, contusions and abrasions. The report also notes that the “brain matter” was “missing”, and that the pleural cavity was “open with exposition of both lungs”.

The Delhi Police, meanwhile, said Anjali did not have injuries “suggestive of sexual assault”.

Sagarpreet Hooda, Special CP (Law and order Zone II), said: “The postmortem examination of the victim woman was conducted January 2… the report indicates that there is no injury suggestive of sexual assault.” Her autopsy report also states: “The victim’s ribs were exposed from the back of chest, the grinding effects on the ribs present with sharpening of the bones… Some of the injuries were inconspicuous due blackening, smudging and burn effects, the injuries were mixed antemortem, perimortem and postmortem in nature.”