MeLeSoN Forensic Training 001 – Exhumation Training was successfully conducted from 28 – 30 November 2018 at BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan.

The training was conducted by Dr. Rafael de Abreu e Souza, Forensic Specialist, ICRC Dushanbe, Tajikistan with facilitation from Prof. Adarsh Kumar, Faculty in charge, Forensic Anthropology and Forensic Radiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India and Dr. Rijen Shrestha, Lecturer, Institute of Medicine, Kathmandu, Nepal.

Dr. Rafael is a forensic archaeologist with extensive experiences in forensic investigation of enforced disappearances across South America and Europe and has worked with many of the Commissions. He is currently serving as the forensic specialist in ICRC Dushanbe, with field service in Afghanistan.

Prof. Adarsh has worked on numerous exhumations of national importance across India. He is a professor at the Department of Forensic Medicine and has been granted numerous commendations and awards over his glitterinig career.

Dr. Rijen has been trained by some of the best anthropologist in the world and has worked on numerous exhumations in Nepal. He is also the President of Medico-Legal Society of Nepal.

The participants included Forensic Specialist from 14 Medical Colleges in Nepal and 4 invitees from the Forensic Co-ordination Committee of the Commission for Investigation of Enforced Disappeared Persons.

The MeLeSoN participants  included

  1. Dr. Shrijana Kunwar
  2. Dr. Jwala Kandel
  3. Dr. Alok Atreya
  4. Dr. Sharmila Gurung
  5. Dr. Nitin Agarwal
  6. Dr. Samarika Dahal
  7. Dr. Malshree Ranjitkar
  8. Dr. Pankaj Kumar Singh
  9. Dr. Sudhir Raman Parajuli
  10. Dr. Mani Maharjan
  11. Dr. Gopal Kumar Chaudhary
  12. Dr. Nuwadatta Subedi
  13. Dr. Shivendra Jha
  14. Dr. Bibhuti Sharma
  15. Dr. Biplab Manandhar
  16. Dr. Suraj Sharma
  17. Dr. Manoj Hang Limbu
  18. Dr. Barshika Katwal
  19. Dr. Bhumikala Limbu
  20. Dr. Arbin Shakya
  21. Dr. Ashish Shrestha
  22. Dr. Bikash Sah
  23. Dr. Dikshanta Pokharel
  24. Dr. Santosh Koirala
  25. Dr. Sugam Shrestha
  26. Dr. Madan Prasad Baral
  27. Dr. Rajesh Kumar Shah
  28. Dr. Rijen Shrestha
  29. Prof. Pramod Kumar Shrestha
  30. Prof. Harihar Wasti

The sessions included interactive sessions on Forensic Archaeology, Documentation and Psycho-social aspects. The participants were provided hands-on training on surface mapping

Group 1 during Surface Mapping exercise

Group 2 being instructed on the surface mapping exercise

Group 3 conducting the linear search during surface mapping exercise

An Exhibit being marked with a flag during surface mapping exercise

Overview of the scene following the surface mapping exercise  

Day 2 started with donation from ICRC and MeLeSoN providing equipment to Department of Forensic Medicine, BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences

Dr. Darshana Sharma, ICRC handing over Gloves and Gowns to Prof. Shivendra Jha, BPKIHS

Dr. Rijen Shrestha, MeLeSoN handing over exhumation set to Dr. Shivendra Jha, BPKIHS

Exhumation set donated by MeLeSoN to BPKIHS

The participants went back to the sites they had mapped the previous day and exhumed three mock graves that were set up for this training.

Dr. Rafael instructing all participants at the start of Day 2

Group 1 starting the exhumation exercise

Group 1 collecting evidence during exhumation exercise

Group 2 finds evidence during exhumation exercise

Group 2 exposing remains during exhumation exercise

Group 3 exposing the remains during exhumation exercise

Group 3 taking measurements during exhumation exercise

Group 1 after completion of exhumation exercise

Group 2 after completion of Exhumation Field Exercises

Group 3 after completion of Exhumation Field Exercises

Discussions at the end of Day 2

The participants worked in groups to prepare report and presentation for the exhumation exercises.

Group 1 preparing their report and presentation

Group 2 preparing their report and presentation

Group 3 preparing their report and presentation

This was followed by a session by Dr. Madhur Basnet.

Dr. Madhur Basnet, Department of Psychiatry, BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences delivering a session on Psycho-Social aspects of Bereavement

The participants presented their findings with the facilitators providing feedback.

Dr. Shrijana Kunwar, Patan Academy of Health Sciences, presenting the finding for Group 1

Dr. Bibhuti Sharma, Institute of Medicine, presenting the finding for Group 2

Dr. Suraj Sharma, Institute of Medicine,  presenting the finding for Group 3

The documents pertaining to the Training are provided below

Presentations:

  1. Introduction – Exhumation training – Rijen Shrestha
  2. Exhumation Dharan Trng – Adarsh Kumar
  3. Introduction to Forensic Archaeology
  4. Preliminary investigation and site assessment
  5. Surface remains and mapping
  6. Group Work and Report Preparation

Forms:

  1. Case sequence Form
  2. Preliminary investigation
  3. Site inspection Form
  4. Photographic Field Record
  5. Exhumation Record
  6. Inventory
  7. Chain of Custody Form