Ponda: A joint spot inspection by forensic experts, Forest Department officials and police concluded that the fatal injuries that led to the death of 48-year-old Home Guard Dinesh Gaude were consistent with a wild gaur horn attack, dispelling any doubts about the cause of death.
The Forest Department had earlier sought a detailed police inquiry, citing the alleged absence of hoof marks, dung samples and visible gaur movement signs at the spot while questioning whether the post-mortem injuries matched a typical gaur attack. However, the forensic team rejected these doubts following the joint inspection.
The inspection at the scene revealed several indicators of wildlife movement, including animal trails, grazing patterns, nearby waterbody access routes and a natural nallah corridor frequently used by wild animals. Officials also found signs of wild boar movement through identifiable hoof impressions near the site.
Forensic experts concluded that the incident appeared to be a “reflex defensive attack” by the gaur, which they described as typical wildlife behaviour when startled or threatened.
According to the preliminary forensic reconstruction, the gaur allegedly lifted the victim with its horns and tossed him aside, causing penetrating horn injuries to the anus and neck, followed by fatal blunt force trauma to the chest after impact with the ground.
Dr Madhu Ghodkirekar of the Department of Forensic Medicine at South Goa District Hospital told ‘The Navhind Times’ that both the police investigation and the Forest Department inquiry “must be respected and allowed to proceed independently without speculation.”
“Scientific evidence at the scene, injury pattern analysis and behavioural indicators of wild bovines clearly support the possibility of a gaur attack. The forensic findings cannot be ignored,” Dr Ghodkirekar said.
He also addressed the controversy surrounding the post-mortem report and said Range Forest Officer Deepak Tandel had only collected the document from police authorities for compensation formalities as per procedure and had no knowledge of its alleged circulation on social media. The Deputy Conservator of Forests was absent from the crime scene.
Raising concern over the leak of medico-legal documents, Dr Ghodkirekar said, “The viral circulation of the post-mortem report is highly suspicious. The confidentiality and sensitivity of forensic records have been compromised.”
To strengthen the technical assessment, wildlife forensic expert Dr Sweta Nidhi from the National Forensic Sciences University was consulted for scientific interpretation related to wildlife attack patterns and injury correlation. Scientific officer and crime scene expert Dova Nani from the National Forensic Sciences University Goa campus and Dr Divyanshu Sharma, junior consultant in forensic medicine at South Goa District Hospital, Margao, were also present.
Officials said the coordinated investigation was conducted to ensure transparency, scientific accuracy and inter-departmental accountability.
