AMU Campus Murder: How Forensics and CCTV Are Driving the Investigation
Aligarh | Night of 25 December
A targeted shooting inside the campus of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) has triggered a high-priority forensic investigation, with police relying heavily on crime-scene forensics, ballistics, and digital CCTV analysis to identify and trace the assailants.
The victim, a faculty member from the university’s ABK School, was shot at close range during a late-evening walk near the Maulana Azad Library–Kennedy Hall zone. He was rushed to Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, where doctors declared him dead on arrival. Investigators say the killing appears deliberate and execution-style, not a random act of violence.
The Crime Scene: A Controlled Forensic Environment
Within hours of the shooting, police cordoned off the site and called in forensic experts from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL). According to officials familiar with the probe, the primary objectives at the scene were:
- Preservation of physical evidence in an open campus environment
- Recovery of ballistic material (spent cartridges, bullet fragments)
- Scene reconstruction to determine shooter position, firing distance, and direction of escape
The location — a well-lit academic zone with routine night movement — presents both challenges and advantages. While foot traffic risks evidence contamination, the area is also densely covered by surveillance cameras, making digital forensics a crucial pillar of the investigation.
Ballistics and the Autopsy: Establishing the Manner of Killing
Preliminary information indicates that multiple rounds were fired, with fatal injuries concentrated in the upper body and head. A medico-legal autopsy has been conducted to establish:
- Exact cause of death
- Number of gunshot wounds
- Bullet trajectory and firing range
- Probable calibre of firearm used
These findings will be cross-referenced with recovered ballistic evidence. If the weapon is later recovered, forensic experts will attempt a ballistic match, a process that can directly link a firearm to the crime.
CCTV as the Central Forensic Witness
Investigators confirm that the entire incident was captured on campus CCTV — a critical development in the case. Digital forensic specialists are working on:
- Securing original, uncompressed video files to preserve metadata
- Synchronising footage from multiple camera angles
- Enhancing frames to identify:
- Number of assailants
- Vehicle type (a two-wheeler/scooter)
- Clothing, body build, and movement patterns
- Tracking entry and exit routes beyond the campus using nearby road cameras
Unlike human witnesses, CCTV footage does not forget or contradict — but it does require technical enhancement and careful interpretation. Officials say the footage already shows the attackers approaching, firing, and fleeing within seconds.
Witness Accounts and Forensic Corroboration
Colleagues walking with the victim at the time of the attack are being treated as key witnesses. Their statements are not being viewed in isolation; instead, police are matching them against:
- CCTV timestamps
- Ballistic evidence
- Autopsy findings
This triangulation — witness + digital + physical evidence — is central to forensic journalism’s understanding of how modern homicide cases are solved.
Why This Case Is Forensically Significant
- Mandatory forensic involvement in serious crimes is becoming operational, not symbolic.
- Digital evidence (CCTV) now often outranks eyewitness testimony in speed and reliability.
- Campus crimes, once considered “safe-zone” incidents, now demand urban-grade forensic response.
What Comes Next
From a forensic standpoint, the next decisive steps include:
- Completion of ballistic profiling
- CCTV-led suspect identification and route mapping
- Cross-checking suspects with prior criminal databases
- Possible recovery of the firearm and vehicle
Police officials say arrests will depend less on confessions and more on forensic convergence — when digital, physical, and medical evidence point to the same individuals.
Forensic Journalism Note
At this stage, no suspects have been officially named and no weapon has been publicly recovered. All forensic results remain under analysis. This report is based on confirmed investigative procedures and avoids speculation beyond verified forensic processes.
This case underscores a central truth of forensic journalism:
Crimes may happen in seconds, but science determines accountability.
