Shirly Vasu, Kerala’s first woman forensic surgeon, passes away

Shirly Vasu, the first woman forensic surgeon of Kerala, who played a major role in solving many controversial and high-profile police cases, died here on Thursday (September 4, 2025). She was 68.

During her over-three-decades-old career, Dr. Vasu attended to thousands of autopsy examinations, including in the Soumya murder case. She also excelled as an academic, instilling knowledge about forensic medicine in the minds of hundreds of medical students.

She was taken to Government Medical College Hospital, Kozhikode after she was found collapsed at her home. She was declared dead in the hospital.

A native of Thodupuzha in Idukki, Dr. Vasu was the former Head of the Department of Forensic Medicine at the Kozhikode MCH. After retirement, she had been working with a private medical college hospital in Mukkom.

Dr. Vasu belongs to the 1974 MBBS batch at the Government Medical College, Kottayam. She joined the Kozhikode MCH as a tutor in 1982. She took an MD in Forensic Medicine from there in 1984. In 1995, she underwent training in ‘Atrocities against women and children’ at SARC- St. Mary’s Hospital and Royal Infirmatory, Manchester, and Greater Policing Authority, U.K. with a fellowship from the World Health Organisation. She also underwent training in Forensic Pathology and terrorism at Guy’s Hospital, University of London, and Scotland Yard Police.

She worked as Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor at the Kozhikode MCH between 1986 and 2010. Between 2010 and 2012, she worked at the Thrissur MCH. She returned to Kozhikode for a brief period between 2012 and 2014. Dr. Vasu was later appointed Principal, Thrissur MCH, in 2014, and she retired from there in 2016.

Dr. Vasu later authored a book titled ‘Post-Mortem Table’, sharing her experiences. She was awarded the ‘Vanitha Rathnam’ Justice Fathima Beevi Award by the State government. Dr. Vasu is survived by her husband and two children.