A Study of Violent Asphyxial Deaths in Raichur Karnataka

Unnatural deaths due to violent asphyxia contribute to majority of the cases among all unnatural deaths. Deaths due to hanging, strangulation, suffocation and drowning are common examples of violent asphyxia deaths. This study is conducted to find out the relation between violent asphyxial deaths and victims age, sex, demographic profile, marital status and manner of death. The present retrospective study has been conducted for the period of 3 years i.e. 2009, 2010 and 2011 based on autopsy records of the unnatural death cases resulting from Violent asphyxial deaths. Randomly picked 100 male cases and 100 female cases autopsied at mortuary of the District hospital, Raichur, Karnataka have been considered for the study and analyzed retrospectively. Male violent asphyxial deaths dominated over female in the ratio of 2.1: 1. Predominant age group were found to be 21–30 years (34%) followed by age group 11–20 (20.5%) and 31–40 years showing (20.5%) showing that youngsters were more involved in violent asphyxial deaths. Maximum victims were from the married group (36%) followed by unmarried (13%) and marital status of (51%) people were not known. Rural population contributed 74% than urban population (10%).