Indian Journal of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology

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A Study of Violent Asphyxial Deaths at Surat, Gujarat


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1 Junior Medical Officer Forensic Medicine & Toxicology Department, Surat Municipal Institute of Medical Education & Research, Umarwada, Surat, Gujarat 395010, India
     

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An increasing death rate as a result of violence constitutes a large group in medico-legal autopsies. Specially, death due to asphyxia is one of the most important causes of violent deaths. Domestic violence plays a great role in suicidal and homicidal violent asphyxia deaths. Various epidemiological and demographical parameters of the study are described in the present article. In this study, 585 cases of violent asphyxial death were studied. Incidence of asphyxial deaths was averagely 146 cases per year. In violent asphyxial deaths, 73% of total cases were of male while only 27% of cases were of female. Majority of victims were in age group of 21 to 40 years. 80% of cases were of suicide and among them 68.4% of victims made suicide by hanging followed by drowning. Incidence of homicidal asphyxial death was quite rare. Ligature strangulation was the most commonly employed method for homicidal asphxial deaths. The prime motive behind violent asphyxial deaths was financial problems/disputes. Indoor places were the commonest places used by victims of hanging. Sari, dupatta and cotton rope were commonly used as a ligature material in hanging cases. Ceiling fan and ceiling hook were the ideal suspension point seen in hanging cases. Only in 0.93% of hanging cases hyoid bone fracture was present.

Keywords

Domestic Violence, Violent Death, Strangulation, Hanging, Drowning.
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  • A Study of Violent Asphyxial Deaths at Surat, Gujarat

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Authors

Pranav Prajapati
Junior Medical Officer Forensic Medicine & Toxicology Department, Surat Municipal Institute of Medical Education & Research, Umarwada, Surat, Gujarat 395010, India
M. I. Sheikh
Junior Medical Officer Forensic Medicine & Toxicology Department, Surat Municipal Institute of Medical Education & Research, Umarwada, Surat, Gujarat 395010, India
Jignesh Brahmbhatt
Junior Medical Officer Forensic Medicine & Toxicology Department, Surat Municipal Institute of Medical Education & Research, Umarwada, Surat, Gujarat 395010, India
Chetan Choksi
Junior Medical Officer Forensic Medicine & Toxicology Department, Surat Municipal Institute of Medical Education & Research, Umarwada, Surat, Gujarat 395010, India

Abstract


An increasing death rate as a result of violence constitutes a large group in medico-legal autopsies. Specially, death due to asphyxia is one of the most important causes of violent deaths. Domestic violence plays a great role in suicidal and homicidal violent asphyxia deaths. Various epidemiological and demographical parameters of the study are described in the present article. In this study, 585 cases of violent asphyxial death were studied. Incidence of asphyxial deaths was averagely 146 cases per year. In violent asphyxial deaths, 73% of total cases were of male while only 27% of cases were of female. Majority of victims were in age group of 21 to 40 years. 80% of cases were of suicide and among them 68.4% of victims made suicide by hanging followed by drowning. Incidence of homicidal asphyxial death was quite rare. Ligature strangulation was the most commonly employed method for homicidal asphxial deaths. The prime motive behind violent asphyxial deaths was financial problems/disputes. Indoor places were the commonest places used by victims of hanging. Sari, dupatta and cotton rope were commonly used as a ligature material in hanging cases. Ceiling fan and ceiling hook were the ideal suspension point seen in hanging cases. Only in 0.93% of hanging cases hyoid bone fracture was present.

Keywords


Domestic Violence, Violent Death, Strangulation, Hanging, Drowning.

References