The Mir Raza case has raised fresh forensic questions over the handling of the crime scene and the procedures followed during the post-mortem examinations. Experts cited in the report said possible lapses could have affected the preservation and collection of important evidence.
According to forensic experts, the crime scene was not properly cordoned off when Mir Raza’s body was removed. They also noted that the person handling the body was reportedly not wearing gloves. Experts said securing a wider area could have increased the chances of recovering additional evidence.
Experts said the role of a crime scene unit goes beyond collecting evidence. It must also preserve and document the entire scene. This includes photographing the body, documenting clothing and injuries, and securing possible evidence such as bloodstains, bullet casings, bullets and signs that could help establish the direction of fire.
In the Mir Raza case, forensic experts also questioned the handling of marks found on the deceased’s hands. They said reported signs of gunshot residue on the right hand, friction marks on the palm and possible marks caused by a rope or another object required detailed examination.
Experts further said an X-ray could have helped establish the bullet’s trajectory. Damage to bones can provide useful information when reconstructing the path of a bullet. In some cases, they added, a CT scan can also assist forensic examination.
The experts also questioned why fingernail samples were reportedly not collected during either post-mortem examination. Such samples can sometimes contain DNA, blood, hair or clothing fibres if there was physical resistance or a struggle. However, they stressed that the failure to collect such samples alone cannot automatically be treated as evidence of deliberate wrongdoing.
The report also states that bupivacaine, a local anaesthetic, was detected in Mir Raza’s blood. Meanwhile, a recent forensic report found that a 30-bore casing recovered from the crime scene did not match test casings fired from the security guard’s pistol. The Mir Raza case has therefore continued to draw scrutiny over evidence handling, with experts stressing the need for trained crime scene personnel and forensic specialists.
