Clothing examination in lightening stroke – A basic medicolegal need

The present case illustrates the importance of examination of clothing in lightening stroke to draw some medicolegal concluions. It was a case of dead body brought to M. Y. Hospital for autopsy with the history that the victim while riding on a bicycle in tantly fell down after a great thunder and lightening in the ky and soon after that he was found dead. The autopsy revealed superficial burns injuries on the lower part of the back of head extending vertically down both anteriorly as well as posteriorly in the midline area to the plane of pubic region and buttocks. The clothings worn by the victim had tearing and fragmentation of the torn margins with burn effects at places indicating that the flow of current was evident from above downwards in the same vertical direction. Such effects present on the clothings with or without characteristic burns injuries on the body is thus very helpful in reconstructing the posture of the victim during lightening troke and help finding consistency with the history of the incidence provided.