SAMPLES SENT TO FSL, REPORT EXPECTED IN 10 DAYS

KANPUR: A panel of three doctors performed the autopsy on the body of Mohammad Yunus Khan at the district hospital late Saturday night and said to have found nothing unusual that could suggest the key witness in the murder case of Unnao rape victim’s father died an unnatural death.

Parts of brain, skin, heart and clavicle bone were on Monday sent to the forensic science laboratory (FSL), Lucknow, to determine the exact cause of death.

Superintendent of police (SP), Unnao, Harish Kumar said the viscera samples had been received at FSL (Lucknow) and the report was expected in 10 days.

“No ante-mortem injuries have been found on the body during post-mortem examination. Further tests are essential to clear all the doubts relating to the death of Yunus,” he said.

According to sources, the liver was found shrunken and the state it was in corroborated the family version and medical history that he was suffering from Hepatitis B. “Still, no chances are being taken. Histopathology test has to be carried to confirm the charges of poisoning,” an official, who did not wish to be named, said.

Yunus had died on August 18 at his house in Makhi village and buried in the local graveyard. The rape victim’s uncle had alleged that he had been poisoned by people close to jailed BJP MLA Kuldeep Sengar. He alleged that Yunus, a key witness in the murder of his brother had been killed to weaken the case. He had demanded exhumation and postmortem of the body. But the family of Yunus accused the victim’s uncle of playing politics and using the tragedy to his advantage. The issue assumed significance with Congress president Rahul Gandhi tweeting about the death and claiming that there could be a conspiracy. On Saturday morning, Unnao district magistrate issued orders for exhumation of body and autopsy by a panel of doctors.

The decision met with stiff opposition from the family which said the process was un-Islamic and carried out at the behest of a history-sheeter. Police officials remained in talks with the family for more than 18 hours and sent clerics to dispel their religious notions. While the family attempted self-immolation outside the CM’s residence in Lucknow over the decision, the police exhumed the body in the presence of Shahr Qazi Maulana Nasir and other clerics around midnight.