Caterer’s death: Preliminary post mortem report hints at ruptured intestine

NAGPUR: The preliminary post-mortem report of wedding caterer Swapnil Dongre, 30, received by Lakadganj police on Saturday, stated the possible reason behind his death was rupturing of the intestine. Police are still waiting for more detailed and consolidated report, expected on Monday, on his death before registering an offence.

According to a senior forensic expert, one of the main reason for intestine rupture is blunt trauma to the abdomen. “If there is a history of assault then the reason behind the rupture could be linked to such physical traumas. Otherwise, there has to be some clinical reasons like long term high grade fevers from illness like typhoid and so on,” said the expert analysing the circumstances. “In case, the rupture is being linked to any ailments then the other symptoms or evidences of such diseases too have to be presented in the post-mortem report to support the theory,” he said.

Speaking to TOI, Dongre’s mother Sunita had earlier said that her son neither suffered from any disease nor had a frail health. “My son had started complaining of chest pain and other complications from May 4 morning after he had come home in the early hours without a shirt on him. Raju Pandey had taken my son along with him in the afternoon to prepare juices at the wedding party,” she said.

Dr Rajesh Atal, an expert in critical care medicine, too supported the theory of the forensic expert stating that multiple assault could lead to blunt trauma on the abdomen leading to the rupture of the intestine. “In addition to typhoid fevers, perforations in the intestine could also result from gastric ulcers,” he said.

Police had earlier said Dongre, only son of a Dalit widow, was thrashed on May 3 over taking away couple of fruits with him from a wedding party at Patidar bhavan where Waghela family of

Netaji Nagar

in Kalamna had organized a marriage function. He was engaged by the private caterer Raju Pandey to serve freshly prepared juices at the wedding party.

After the thrashing, Dongre had developed ill-health before subsequently being admitted at

Mayo Hospital

on May 6. On May 5, the doctors at Mayo hospital for reasons best known to them had sent back an ailing Dongre without admitting him. A surgery was performed on Dongre on May 6 but his health continued to deteriorate until declared dead on May 10. The post-mortem was performed at Mayo hospital on May 11 following which the Lakadganj police registered a case of accidental death.

Police said the Mayo hospital forensic team have asked for the histories of the previous treatments of Dongre which were done by his family members after he had started showing symptoms of ill-health from the morning of May 4.

Senior PI Santosh Khandekar of Lakadganj police station said an offence is likely to be registered soon in the case.

Meanwhile, NGO ‘Yuvaaz- We the youths’ helped the family meet former judge CL Thool, member legal of the

Maharashtra State

SC/ST commission. A deputation was also presented before Thool for his intervention.