KARACHI, Feb 26: The postmortem examination of Hajra and Sassi, whose bodies were recovered from a veterinary hospital in Gadap that was under the use of policemen, has revealed that one of them died due to a blow to the head.
The other girl was shot to death.
During the examination, however, it could not be determined whether Hajra, 8, was subjected to sexual abuse before her death because the lower parts of her body had been gnawed by animals.
The two girls' bodies had been found on Feb 23 and had been taken to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre in the small hours of Feb 24. The report on five-year-old Sassi said: "On the basis of the postmortem examination... death occurred due to cardio-respiratory failure resulting from acute head injury, probably caused by a firearm projectile".
The eight-year-old Hajra was killed due to blows to her head with a blunt weapon. The report said: "Death occurred due to cardio-respiratory failure resulting from acute head injury, probably caused by a violent impact with a hard and blunt object".
The bodies of Hajra and Sassi were severely dismembered as dogs and cats nibbled and gnawed at them. Several of Hajra's body parts were missing, according to the postmortem report.
A visit to the site had shown that the premises, adjacent to the Gadap police station and surrounded by walls, was in the illegal use of the policemen who occupied its three rooms. The compound can be accessed only from the police station.
The bodies could have been found much earlier than they ultimately were, had the policemen residing on the premises looked for them out of curiosity as to why animals had been rummaging through the bushes right in front of their rooms. It also could not be learnt why the policemen did not feel the stench which emanated from their partly decomposed bodies.
The Injury Number IX in Hajra's autopsy report (No 103/04)stated: "Abdomen wall appeared to be eaten and stomach and loops of intestine are visible. Liver, kidneys and spleen are missing as well. Pelvic cavity is empty and pelvic bones are visible. No outlet in the shape of vagina or anus can be made out".
The report further said: "As vagina and internal genital organs were found missing, therefore, pre-vaginal examination could not be carried out". However, her blackish brown and torn kameez and shalwar, soaked in postmortem fluid, had been sent for chemical examination.
According to Hajra's autopsy report, her features were not clear.Eye sockets were empty and maggots were found in the orbits of the nasal cavities, mouth and ears. Six injuries were inflicted on her body before her death, which included the wounds on her head, face, and chest.
The report said her left hand was punched off from the wrist and appeared to have been eaten away. Her right hand, blackish in colour, was also found gnawed. The postmortem report on Sassi (No 102/04) stated that her features were not recognizable.
"There is a difference of stages of decomposition in upper andlower regions of the body. In lower limbs, skin is found peeling off like a stocking. In the upper half of the body, there is bloating of features. Cheeks orbits are empty, nasal bone missing and maggots found present in the orbits of nasal, ears and mouth".
A rope was found tied around her abdomen on arrival at the JPMC's mortuary, the report said, adding that injuries were found on her face. The fractured bones of the face suggested that she was beaten severely.
The report added: "On the basis of the findings, she is a virgin". It, however, said that vaginal swab was taken which had been sent for chemical examination.
According to the prescribed procedure, the body viscera and clothes were given to the police for submission with the office of the chemical and histopathological examiner. But some sources said the girls' clothes might not be submitted to the chemical examiner.
In a custodial killing - that of Mohammad Yusuf alias Kaloo, who died on Feb 5 in the lockup of the Baghdadi police station - the police did not deposit the body viscera for histopathological and chemical tests.
The police had been given the body viscera of the deceased soon after his post mortem examination. The final cause of death in the postmortem report was withheld till the receipt of the chemical test report.
Following pressures from the family and police high-ups, the policemen approached the medico-legal officer concerned and produced only two broken jars out of four. The police asked the MLO to seal the evidence. On his refusal, the police went away. Conclusion regarding the cause of death may be delayed considerably.
