Research Article A study of estimation of stature from hand length in Gujarat

Personal identification is an integral part of the investigation in cases of mass disasters where disintegrated and amputated body organs are found very frequently. Establishment of an identity is very essential in Forensic Medicine in case of unknown individual, incomplete skeletal remains and decomposing bodies. Various factors such as race, geographical area, age, gender etc. affect the growth and development of individual. So regression formula should be population specific. So it is necessary to assess the extent to which hand length could be used to predict the stature in natives of Gujarat state and to yield the linear regression equation to estimate the stature in relation to hand length for males and females. Total 200 subjects within age group of 17 to 21 years were included in study. The hand length was measured using a spreading calliper. The height of individual was measured. A positive correlation between height and hand length was observed in both sexes and it was statistically significant. Regression formulae for stature estimation were formulated using the hand length for both sexes. So the data will be useful to forensic experts, archaeologists and anthropologists.