Background <p>Post-mortem computed tomography (PMCT) enables extensive skeletal morphometric data collection, facilitating the development of novel osteological identification methods. The first lumbar vertebra, due to its anatomical features and imaging accessibility, is a promising candidate for such analysis. This study evaluates the utility of PMCT-derived metric analysis of the first lumbar vertebra in North Indian population for forensic sex estimation and age prediction. We hypothesize that: Linear vertebral dimensions from PMCT exhibit statistically significant sexual dimorphism; Select vertebral measurements correlate with age, enabling predictive modeling through regression analysis.</p> <p>A cross-sectional study design was employed involving 150 medicolegal autopsy cases (75 males and 75 females), whose whole-body PMCT scans were obtained, and 15 pre-defined linear parameters of the first lumbar vertebra were measured using multiplanar reconstructions. The methodology followed a previously established Egyptian model adapted for North Indian subjects.</p> Results <p>All vertebral measurements were consistently greater in males than females. A stepwise discriminant function analysis achieved an overall sex classification accuracy of 88.0%. For age estimation, selected parameters showed moderate positive correlation with chronological age. A multiple linear regression model incorporating vertebral length, posterior body length, and spinous process height was formulated.</p> Conclusions <p>PMCT-based vertebral metrics offer a non-invasive, standardized, and reproducible method for sex estimation in forensic contexts. Although age estimation accuracy remains limited, findings suggest potential utility in combination with other methods. Larger population-specific datasets are needed to refine these predictive models.</p>