Kerala's First Woman Forensic Surgeon Dr Sherly Vasu Dies at 68
Dr. Sherly Vasu, who held the distinction of being Kerala's pioneering woman forensic surgeon and a distinguished expert in forensic medicine, passed away in Kozhikode at the age of 68.
Dr. Vasu suffered a collapse at her residence and was later declared deceased at Kozhikode Medical College, an institution where she had previously been employed for several years.
Throughout her 35-year tenure in Kerala's medical education field, Dr. Sherly performed over 20,000 post-mortem examinations.
Following her retirement in 2016 from her position as department head of forensic medicine at Thrissur government medical college, she continued her work as the forensic medicine department head at KMCT, a private medical institution in Kozhikode.
Dr. Sherly wrote the publication 'Postmortem Table', which provides readers with insights into her experiences working in the mortuary. She received specialized training in "crimes against women and children" at St. Mary's Hospital and Royal Infirmary (SARC) in Manchester, as well as with the Greater Policing Authority in the United Kingdom. Additionally, she pursued training in forensic pathology with a focus on terrorism-related cases at GUY'S Hospital at the University of London and with Scotland Yard Police in the UK.
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Originally from Thodupuzha in Idukki district, Dr. Sherly started her professional journey in 1982 within the forensic medicine department of Kozhikode Medical College. The majority of her distinguished career unfolded in Kozhikode, where she handled numerous high-profile medico-legal cases.
For many years, she served as the ultimate authority in forensic medicine when it came to resolving various high-profile murder investigations.
Reflecting on her entry into forensic medicine during the late 1980s, Dr. Sherly mentioned in interviews with the media that she had no desire to leave the realm of deceased individuals, as her gender had never posed an obstacle. In 2016, she received the state government's Vanitha Rathnam award.
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Expressing sympathy over her passing, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan stated that Dr. Sherly had assisted the state's law enforcement in uncovering crucial evidence in numerous complicated investigations. Her publication 'Postmortem Table' has generated significant conversation throughout Kerala.