A body shows a shotgun wound with a central defect about 4 cm across surrounded by scattered individual pellet holes. The estimated range of fire is:
- A Contact to within 1 metre
- B 6 to 8 metres
- C 2 to 3 metres ✓
- D Beyond 10 metres
Correct answer: C. 2 to 3 metres
Explanation
Shotgun range is estimated from pellet dispersion. Up to about 1 metre there is a single hole with scalloped edges; between roughly 2 and 3 metres a central defect with separate satellite pellet openings appears; beyond 4 to 5 metres pellets scatter widely with no central defect. A 4 cm central defect with surrounding individual pellet holes fits the 2 to 3 metre range.
Reference: Parikh's Textbook of Medical Jurisprudence, Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, 7th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.