CHEILOSCOPY AN ADJUNCT TO FORENSIC INVESTIGATION

ABSTRACT Identification of humans is a prime requisite in forensic science. It is need for certification of death and for personal, legal, social and humanitarian reasons. In forensic medicine, the chief methods of identification are fingerprints, DNA comparison and dental characteristics. Many times, one or all of these methods may not be totally effective or conclusive in establishing identity, especially in cases of burns, aircraft accidents etc. Cheiloscopy is a forensic investigation technique that deals with identification of humans based on lips traces. Cheiloscopy is gaining importance since last few decades. Lip prints are unique. This article deals with current knowledge about lip prints its collection, analysis and interpretation