As Rookies, we were always “bullied” by our Seniors (Orang La Ma!)

It is under our procedures that when someone died by hanging, one officer had to hold onto the lifeless body while his partner cuts off the rope about the knot. This is to prevent the body from falling after cutting the rope. The body falling dwon and hitting the floor might cause brusing which might indicate foul play. Our CSI o SCU units were not so advance then.

I was a Rookie then when I attended a Sucide by hanging case in Haig Road.

My partner was a Malay Cpl who was about to retire in a couple of years’ time. With his many years of experiences in the Force, it was just another rountine case for him.

As we enter the flat, we interviewed the Complainant who is the Deceased’s son. We were then shown where the body was.

It happened in one of the bedrooms. We found her hanging from the ceiling fan was a rope around her neck. She looks to be in her 70’s. She was small built. My partner told me to hold onto the lifeless body while he cuts the rope. Holding onto the body means that you have to sort of “hug” the body from the deceasd’s back and after the rope was cut, I was to put her down onto the floor softly as not to cause any bruisings which the Pathelogist might thought of foul play.

As a Rookie, I lan lan had to follow instructions from my Senior. I held the deceased tightly as my partner went to cut the rope.

After cutting the rope, he release the tight rope around the deceased’s neck. I was still holding on from the deceased back. When he released the tight rope around the deceased’s neck, the deceased gave out a loud “Blup!” I immediately screamed and let go of it and it fell onto the floor with a thumping sound. :disgust2:

I was fugged left, right and centre by my Sr.

Only after telling him what I heard when we return to our patrol car, he then told me the reason…”Young man, when someone dies by hanging, there will be some air that is trapped in the person’s throat. The air is trapped bcos of the tight rope around the neck. When I release the rope at the neck, it loosen the throat and therefore the air escape causing the Blurp sound! You are just scaring yourself. Remember this fact when you attend a hanging case in future and also teach what you have learnt to your Rookies when you are more Senior” :surprised: :handsup:

Hahaha! I actually had scared myself in this case. As the saying goes “You have nothing to fear but fear itself