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Identification and comparison of Xanthium Strumarium as crime scene evidence in forensic rape case by maceration and ED-XRF techniques

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Author Affiliations

  • 1Regional Forensic Science Laboratory, Opposite Vidyut Nagar, Dindori Road Nashik-422004, Maharashtra, India
  • 2Dept. of Botany, K.R.T. Arts, B.H. Commerce and A.M. Science College Shivajinagar, Gangapur Road, Nashik-422002, Maharashtra, India
  • 3Dept. of Botany, K.R.T. Arts, B.H. Commerce and A.M. Science College Shivajinagar, Gangapur Road, Nashik-422002, Maharashtra, India
  • 4Regional Forensic Science Laboratory, Opposite Vidyut Nagar, Dindori Road Nashik-422004, Maharashtra, India
  • 5Regional Forensic Science Laboratory, Opposite Vidyut Nagar, Dindori Road Nashik-422004, Maharashtra, India
  • 6Regional Forensic Science Laboratory, Opposite Vidyut Nagar, Dindori Road Nashik-422004, Maharashtra, India
  • 7Regional Forensic Science Laboratory, Opposite Vidyut Nagar, Dindori Road Nashik-422004, Maharashtra, India
  • 8Directorate of Forensic Science Laboratories, Vidhyanagari, Kaliana, Mumbai-400098, Maharashtra, India

Res. J. Forensic Sci., Volume 5, Issue (1), Pages 1-8, July,29 (2017)

Abstract

Forensic botany is utilization of plant materials in crime investigation and court. It utilizes traces of plant material as physical aid for criminal investigations. The physical aids found at the crime scene can throw light in determining circumstances happened at the crime scene. The physical clues left therefore decides whether victim was (and was not) involved at the crime scene. These types of cluesare challenges for forensic experts to collect evidences and make analysis from crime scenarios. As rape is a contact crime. Herein we report a forensic rape case in which the weed material of Xanthium Strumarium L. adhere on accused cloths and victim cloths and the weed material of Xanthium Strumarium collected from crime scenario all of them belongs to same plants materials. First we performed the physical fit of half of the weed piece observed on accused cloths and another half part of weed observed on victim cloths matched exactly with each other. A small quantity of macerated tissues may be mounted in glycerin and observed under microscope. The ED-XRF spectrometry is suitable analytical tool to detect the trace elements presents in all the samples of weed of Xanthium Strumarium L. A single weed material of Xanthium Strumarium L. provided link between the criminal, the victim and the scene of occurrence.

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