Twisha Sharma Case: Belt Matches Her Neck Injuries, Will It Tighten The Noose Around Giribala & Samarth?

Last Updated:July 12, 2026, 15:57 IST

AIIMS Delhi medical board submitted a report to CBI revealing that microscopic skin tissues found on gymnastics belt match the injury patterns and ligature marks on Twisha's neck

An AIIMS Delhi medical board has confirmed that skin tissue found on the gymnastics belt used as the alleged ligature material matches the neck injuries and injury pattern of Twisha Sharma.

What does this mean for the case and the accused Giribala Singh and her son and Twisha’s husband, Samarth?

TWISHA SHARMA CASE: THE FORENSIC REPORT

The AIIMS Delhi medical board submitted its final 11-page forensic report to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), revealing that microscopic skin tissues found on the gymnastics belt match the specific injury patterns and ligature marks on Twisha’s neck. This provides a direct, irrefutable scientific link connecting the recovered physical evidence to her death.

CURRENT STATUS OF THE ACCUSED

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has aggressively pushed for the custodial interrogation of former judge Giribala Singh and her lawyer son, Samarth Singh. The agency has formally opposed bail, leveling serious charges of:

• Dowry harassment and mental torture.
• Forced medical termination of pregnancy just a week prior to her death.
• Active destruction and tampering of electronic and physical evidence.

HOW IS A LIGATURE MATERIAL IDENTIFIED?

In a death investigation involving a hanging or strangulation, forensic experts and medical boards reach a definitive conclusion about the ligature material using a precise, specialised methodology:

Macro-Matching (Physical Dimensions): Pathologists measure the exact width and depth of the furrow (groove) on the neck skin. They match these measurements directly against the width, thickness, and edges of the suspected ligature material (like the gymnastics belt). They look for distinct hardware, such as the impression of a metal ring, buckles, or specific fiber weaves left behind as patterned abrasions on the skin.

Histopathological Examination (Tissue Analysis): Experts take a tiny slice of skin from the neck’s ligature mark to examine under a microscope. They look for cellular changes like congestion, hemorrhaging, and fluid buildup (edema). If these cellular reactions are present, it proves the injury occurred antemortem (while the person was still alive and blood was pumping). The ligature material itself is swabbed or chemically analysed in a lab to find sloughed-off human skin tissue and sweat cells.

Directional and Angle Analysis: A classic hanging mark is typically oblique (slanted upward toward the knot) and fades out near the suspension point, forming an inverted “V". It is usually found high up on the neck, above the thyroid cartilage. A homicidal ligature strangulation mark is usually transverse (horizontal), completely encircling the neck, and sits lower down, below the thyroid cartilage.

Knot and Mechanism Profiling: Pathologists never untie the original knot; they cut the loop away from it to preserve its structure. They analyse the complexity of the knot (e.g., slipknot, reef knot) to determine if it aligns with what a victim could realistically tie themselves or if it indicates an assailant’s involvement.

Biomechanical Reconstruction: The team calculates whether the weight of the body and gravity could create the exact depth and severity of the marks found. Multiple distinct or parallel marks on the neck can heavily signal to experts that a struggle took place, countering a simple suicide narrative.

Forensic experts reach a conclusion by transforming raw crime scene evidence into scientific proof through a strict, multi-step process. They rely on the scientific method to ensure their findings can stand up in a court of law.

WHY THE NEW EVIDENCE IS CRUCIAL

The development is critical because the initial investigation by local police faced immense scrutiny for major procedural lapses.

• Resolving the Missing Chain: During the first post-mortem in Bhopal, the alleged noose (a gymnastics belt with a metal ring) was never produced before the doctors, preventing them from matching it to the neck wounds.
• Overcoming Tampering Concerns: The victim’s family and the CBI expressed serious concerns that the crime scene had been compromised due to the influence of the mother-in-law, Giribala Singh, a retired district judge. The forensic confirmation of biological material on the belt establishes it as the definitive tool used in the hanging.
• Contradicting Defense Claims: While the in-laws claimed she died by suicide, the CBI has argued that her body bore unexplained wrist and elbow injuries that occurred before the hanging.

With agency inputs

About the Author

Manjiri Joshi

At the news desk for 20 years, the story of her life has revolved around finding pun, facts while reporting, on radio, heading a daily newspaper desk, teaching mass media students to now editing speci...Read More

News explainers Twisha Sharma Case: Belt Matches Her Neck Injuries, Will It Tighten The Noose Around Giribala & Samarth?

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