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By:

Keshav Humar and Somya Soin

20 October 2024 at 11:26:24 am

India’s Forensic Blind Spot: The Case for Forensic Odontology

It is not just about solving crimes; it is about restoring identity and dignity. AI generated image Imagine the heartache when someone you care about goes missing or is lost in a disaster. The uncertainty of their fate can be unbearable. In these moments, identifying a person is not just a scientific process; it's an act of dignity, compassion, and delivering justice. Interestingly, one of the most dependable tools for this task is found right inside our mouths: our teeth. Forensic...

India’s Forensic Blind Spot: The Case for Forensic Odontology

It is not just about solving crimes; it is about restoring identity and dignity. AI generated image Imagine the heartache when someone you care about goes missing or is lost in a disaster. The uncertainty of their fate can be unbearable. In these moments, identifying a person is not just a scientific process; it's an act of dignity, compassion, and delivering justice. Interestingly, one of the most dependable tools for this task is found right inside our mouths: our teeth. Forensic odontology, or forensic dentistry, involves using teeth and dental records to identify individuals and support criminal investigations. While we typically think of dentists as caregivers for our oral health, forensic odontologists work hand in hand with police, forensic experts, and disaster response teams to establish identities and aid the justice system. Teeth, being the hardest parts of the human body, often withstand fires, explosions, natural disasters and advanced decomposition when other identifiers, like fingerprints or facial features, are destroyed. Just like fingerprints, each person's dental features, such as fillings, crowns, bridges, and even missing teeth, are unique. Sometimes, a simple smiling photograph or an old dental X-ray can be the key to solving the puzzle of someone's identity. Forensic odontology plays a vital role in situations like air crashes, train accidents, building collapses, natural disasters, burnt or badly decomposed bodies, unidentified bodies and criminal cases. For children whose identities are unknown, developing teeth can help estimate their age. While adult teeth can assist in reconstructive identification of unidentified individuals and comparative identification when missing persons’ dental records are available. Scientific identification of bite marks can be crucial in criminal investigations. In cases of severely damaged bodies, DNA from teeth can survive and confirm a person’s identity. Globally, forensic odontology is one of the three primary methods for identifying disaster victims, along with fingerprint analysis and DNA profiling. Countries like the United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, Germany, and the United States have robust forensic odontology services that are integral to their disaster response and law enforcement systems. In India, this field still faces challenges. Although there are trained forensic odontologists, the speciality has not yet been fully woven into disaster management and medico-legal infrastructure. Dental record maintenance is inconsistent, and there are very limited opportunities for specialists in this domain. As disasters and complex investigations become more frequent, these gaps need urgent attention. The significance of forensic odontology has been recognised by the courts as well. The Supreme Court of India acknowledged its importance in the Mukesh & Others v. State (NCT of Delhi) (2017) case, calling it an “important and indispensable science” for legal matters. Properly examined dental evidence was accepted as valuable expert testimony in the administration of justice. Public awareness is important. Everyone can contribute by preserving dental records. Don’t throw away dental prescriptions or treatment summaries. Keep copies of dental X-rays, orthodontic records, and implant details, and store digital copies securely. Inform your family where these records are kept and update them after dental treatments. Something as ordinary as a dental record today could one day help identify you or a loved one with certainty. Remember this simple truth: Your teeth are like a permanent identity card inside your mouth. Every filling, crown, and implant tells a unique story that no one else shares. Forensic odontology isn’t just about solving crimes or identifying disaster victims. It restores identities, provides closure to grieving families, aids in legal and insurance matters, ensures dignified last rites, prevents mistaken identities, and strengthens the pursuit of justice. Official recognition of this speciality, standardised dental record maintenance, and its integration into disaster response systems are no longer optional but essential steps towards building a safer, more humane, and more resilient country. (Dr. Kumar is a former IPS officer and forensic consultant to Assam government. Dr. Somya Soin is forensic odontology professional. Views personal.)

Cultural identity begins once again

AI generated image
AI generated image

New Delhi: The Assam government's decision to introduce the UCC Bill in the state assembly on Monday marks a significant shift in the political landscape. After Uttarakhand and Gujarat, Assam has become the third BJP-ruled state to move decisively toward giving legal shape to the Uniform Civil Code. Indications also suggest that the issue may soon emerge at the center of political discourse in West Bengal.

 

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Atul Bora introduced the "Assam Uniform Civil Code Bill, 2026" in the Assembly. The proposed legislation extends far beyond issues of marriage and divorce, touching several sensitive aspects of the social structure.

 

According to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, the law seeks to regulate five major areas, a ban on polygamy, a uniform minimum age for marriage, compulsory registration of marriages and divorces, equal inheritance rights for daughters in ancestral property, and mandatory registration of live-in relationships. The government argues that the legislation is aimed at providing legal protection to women and eliminating entrenched social evils.

 

The most striking aspect of the Assam model, however, is its "exception clause." Scheduled Tribes have been kept outside the ambit of the proposed law, whether they reside in the hills or the plains. Traditional religious customs and rituals have also been exempted. This reflects the government's attempt to balance the message of equality with the ethnic and cultural sensitivities of the Northeast. Indeed, this remains one of the core challenges of Indian federalism that maintaining harmony between uniformity and diversity.

 

The opposition has sharply criticised the Bill both inside and outside the Assembly from the very beginning of the session. While the ruling party claims that introducing the UCC fulfills one of its key electoral promises, opposition parties such as the Congress, Trinamool Congress, and Raijor Dal have questioned both the timing of the legislation and its potential social consequences.

 

Assam Congress working president Zakir Hussain Sikdar described the move as the BJP's "political agenda" and asked what tangible benefit it would bring to ordinary citizens. The opposition has also alleged that there was no broad-based social or political consultation before introducing the Bill.

 

Roots of Idea 

Yet, the idea of a Uniform Civil Code is far from new. Article 44 of the Directive Principles of State Policy in the Indian Constitution directs the State to endeavour to secure a common civil code for all citizens. The roots of this idea can be traced back to the colonial era. In 1835, the British government proposed the concept of a uniform law, though personal religious laws were kept outside its scope. Goa, through the Portuguese Civil Code, has long had a form of common civil law in place.

 

However, in independent India, Uttarakhand became the first state to take a concrete step in this direction. The UCC Bill was introduced in the Uttarakhand Assembly in February 2024 and implemented in January 2025 after receiving presidential assent. The Uttarakhand model granted equal property rights to sons and daughters and made registration of live-in relationships mandatory, while exempting Scheduled Tribes.

 

Gujarat, too, passed a UCC Bill this year, with a particular emphasis on inheritance laws. Under the proposed framework, if a person dies intestate, parents, children, and spouses would receive equal shares in the property.

 

Highlighted Need

The judiciary, too, has repeatedly underscored the need for a Uniform Civil Code. In the landmark Shah Bano case, the Supreme Court observed that Article 44 had remained "a dead letter" and stated that a common civil code could strengthen national integration. In the Sarla Mudgal judgment as well, the Court expressed disappointment over the failure to implement the UCC. Again in 2015, the Supreme Court reiterated the need to uphold the spirit of Article 44 by moving toward a common civil framework for the entire country.

 

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was among the strongest advocates of a Uniform Civil Code. During the Constituent Assembly debates, he argued that such a law would apply equally to people of all religions and would have nothing to do with religious practices themselves. He believed that ensuring equality in matters of family, marriage, inheritance, and civil rights was the duty of the State, so that individual rights would not be compromised in the name of community traditions.

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