The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued fresh guidelines for post-mortem examinations in custodial death cases, following procedural lapses noticed in Tamil Nadu.
- Autopsies must be carried out by a board of at least three doctors, preferably drawn from different institutions.
- Every doctor on the board must hold a postgraduate degree in forensic medicine and have at least five years' experience.
- The guidelines aim to ensure transparency and accuracy and to keep out external influence.
- Cross-institutional teams are expected to provide stronger checks and balances in sensitive cases.