The final post-mortem report handed over to the police by the medical board has stated that 10 of the 11 deceased members of the family in Burari died due to ante-mortem hanging injuries while performing a puja on July 1, the police said on Wednesday.
The final autopsy report has ruled out any possibility of drugging or poisoning. The report states that the 10 died of asphyxiation, which had caused reduction in oxygen supply to their brain.
“The post-mortem report of Narayan Devi (75) is still awaited. Members of the medical board have held a discussion over the report, but are yet to come to a conclusion,” said a police officer.
Devi’s body was found tied with a belt to the handle of an almirah beside it. During investigation, the police found that Devi had been suffering from arthritis, due to which she could not lift her hand. The police suspect that someone put the noose around her and used the belt to tighten it around the neck while she sat on the floor.
Injury marks
During the autopsy, doctors found that Bhavnesh and Priyanka had injury marks on their arms. They said they had sustained scratches from an air cooler while trying to free themselves from the noose during the puja.
The report also states that all had died between 12.45 a.m. and 1 a.m. The children were the first to die. The police suspect that they must have been helped by someone to stand on the stools and then asked to jump. Injuries on their necks show internal haemorrhage.
Marks on wrists
The report also says that after pushing off the stools on which they were standing, they had also tried to loosen the cloth tied around their hands. Nine of them had ligature marks on the wrists.
Undigested rotis that they had consumed between 10 p.m and 10.30 p.m. were also found in their stomach.
Viscera preserved
Their viscera has been preserved for further investigation, the police also said.