In this episode, legal historian Dr. Mitra Sharafi talks to us about how racial differences shaped the development of forensic science in colonial India, why the anti-abortion law was poorly enforced back then, and how death by poisoning became common during epidemics.

‘In Perspective’ is our podcast series where academics reveal little-known facts about Indian history, society and culture.

Notes:

1:04 - What was the motivation behind setting up forensics departments, why were these set up to investigate crime in colonial India, and in what ways did notions of racial difference inform these motivations?

5:05 - What were the problems surrounding expert witnesses in criminal cases in colonial India?

11:44 - Was death by poisoning common in colonial India and what kind of narratives around poison do we see in forensic files?

19:59 - The discourse around the female poisoner, and when it came to European fear of getting poisoned by their servants, was there an emphasis on the aayah as a more likely poisoner?

21:52 - What led to the rise in murder by poison during epidemics?

28:21 - Why was the implementation of anti-abortion laws lax in South Asia during the late 19th and early 20th centuries?

35:00 - In what kind of sources do we see mention of  upper caste Hindu widows being at the centre of the debate around illegal abortions?

37:26 - Could we discuss some specific cases where the anti-abortion law was actually enforced in colonial India?