Indian Journal of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology

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Unusual Incised Stab Wound Produced by a Single Edged Weapon: A Case Report


Affiliations
1 District Police Surgeon, General Hospital, Ernakulum, Kerala, India
2 Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kochi, India
3 Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kochi, Kerala, India
     

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Stab wound examination yields valuable information about the weapon. Some amount of information about the hilt can also be obtained at times. In this case of murder by stabbing, the cutting edge of the (single edged) blade had a blunt portion (ricasso) adjacent to the handle and the hilt was projecting beyond the cutting edge. The ricasso had modified the sharp cut end of the stab wound and the blunt end of the knife had produced fish tailing. These events had altered the external appearance of the wound in such a way that the end which corresponded with the sharp edge of the knife looked blunt and the other end looked sharp. However, despite the confusing appearance of the skin wound, the actual orientation of the blade could still be determined from the hilt bruise.

Keywords

Boat Mark, Cutting Edge, Fish Tailing, Guard, Hilt, Incised Stab Wound, Penetrating Wound, Ricasso, Single Edged Knife, Square Edge, Stab
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  • Unusual Incised Stab Wound Produced by a Single Edged Weapon: A Case Report

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Authors

Biju James
District Police Surgeon, General Hospital, Ernakulum, Kerala, India
Ajay Balachandran
Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kochi, India
Anu Sasidharan
Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kochi, Kerala, India
U. K. Ramakrishanan
Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kochi, Kerala, India
T. N. Prem
Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kochi, Kerala, India
Thomas Jerry
Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kochi, Kerala, India

Abstract


Stab wound examination yields valuable information about the weapon. Some amount of information about the hilt can also be obtained at times. In this case of murder by stabbing, the cutting edge of the (single edged) blade had a blunt portion (ricasso) adjacent to the handle and the hilt was projecting beyond the cutting edge. The ricasso had modified the sharp cut end of the stab wound and the blunt end of the knife had produced fish tailing. These events had altered the external appearance of the wound in such a way that the end which corresponded with the sharp edge of the knife looked blunt and the other end looked sharp. However, despite the confusing appearance of the skin wound, the actual orientation of the blade could still be determined from the hilt bruise.

Keywords


Boat Mark, Cutting Edge, Fish Tailing, Guard, Hilt, Incised Stab Wound, Penetrating Wound, Ricasso, Single Edged Knife, Square Edge, Stab

References