Indian Journal of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access
Open Access Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Restricted Access Subscription Access

A Study of Violent Asphyxial Deaths at Surat, Gujarat


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

   Subscribe/Renew Journal


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.
Subscription Login to verify subscription
User
Notifications
Font Size


  • Knight B. Legal aspects of Medical Practice. Asphyxia. 5th edition, 1992. Churchill Livingstone, New york. Pg. 205- 218.

  • V V Pillay. Textbook of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology. Asphyxial deaths.14th Edition. Paras Publisher, Hydrabad. Pg.218-241.

  • Ronald W. Maris, Alan L. Berman, Morton M. Silverman, Bruce Michael Bongar. Comprehensive Textbook of Suicidology. Guildford Press, 2000, Pg: 96.

  • Krishan Vij. Textbook of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology. Asphyxial deaths.3rd edition, 2005. Elsevier, New Delhi. Pg.165-221.

  • WISQARS Leading Causes of Death Reports. Retrieved 2009-07-06

  • http://www.cdc.gov/ViolencePrevention/NVDRS/ index.html

  • http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1303429

  • Gargi J, Gorea R K, Chanana A, Mann G. Violent asphyxial deaths- A six year study, Journal of Indian Academy of Forensic Med, 1992; pg. 171-176.

  • Singh Amandeep, Gorea R K, Dalal J. S, Thind A.S, Walia Deepak. A study of demographic variables of violent asphyxial deaths. JPAFMT; Volume:3, 2003 Pg. 22-25

  • BL Meel, A study on the incidence of suicide by hanging in the sub-region of Transkei, South Africa;Journal of Forensic and legal medicine; Volume:1 0, Issue:3, September 2003; Page: 153-157.

  • Kulshrestha P, Sharma RK, Dogra T D.The study of sociological and demographical variables of unnatural deaths among young women within seven years of marriage, Journal of Punjab Academy of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, 2002; Vol: 2, pg. 7–17.

  • Olive Bunnewith, B A and David Gunnell. Suicide by hanging: multicentre study based coroners’ records in England. The British Journal of Psychiatry, Vol: 186, 2005, Page: 260-261.

  • Singh O. Gambhir,GuptaB. D. Violent mechanical asphyxial deaths in homicide – A retrospective study of 5 years. Journal of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Volume : 25, Issue : 2; 2008.

  • Apurba Nandy. Principles of Forensic Medicine, Violent asphyxial deaths. New Central book agency (P) Ltd. Kolkatta. 2nd Edition, 2007. Pg.318-319.

  • K S Narayan Reddy. Medical Jurisprudence and Toxicology. Mechanical asphyxia. ALT Publication, Hydrabad. 1st Edition, 2003. Pg. 383-384.

  • R N Karmakar, J.B Mukharjee’s Forensic Medicine and Toxicology. Violent asphyxial deaths. Academic Publisher, Kolkata. 3rd Edition 2007. Pg. 590.


Abstract Views: 565

PDF Views: 0




  • A Study of Violent Asphyxial Deaths at Surat, Gujarat

Abstract Views: 565  |  PDF Views: 0

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