Indian Journal of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology
  • Year: 2017
  • Volume: 11
  • Issue: 2

Profile of Unnatural Deaths-A Retrospective Study Conducted in and around Davangere

1Assistant Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, Shridevi Institute of Medical Sciences & Research Hospital, Tumkur, Karnataka

2Assistant Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, Sri Siddhartha Medical College, Tumkur, Karnataka

3Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, S.S. Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Davangere, Karnataka

4Professor and Head, Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, S.S. Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Davangere, Karnataka

Online published on 27 July, 2017.

Abstract

A two-year retrospective study on the cases of unnatural deaths subjected to medico-legal autopsy during the period from 1November 2010 to 31July 2013 was carried out in the department of Forensic Medicine at SSIMS&RC, Davangere, to elucidate the trends in unnatural deaths. Total number of unnatural deaths were 549 in the study period, of which males (377 cases) outnumbered the females (172 cases). Road traffic accidents being the commonest cause of death, (n=244, 44.60%), followed by deaths due to poison consumption (n=134, 24.49%), deaths due to burns (n=95, 17.36%), deaths due to fall from height (n=28, 5.11%) followed by snake bite (n=12, 2.19%), assault (n=10, 1.82%), hanging (n=11, 2%). The rest of the cases were due to drowning, bull gore injury, electrocution, occupational injuries and others, which accounted 2.74% of total unnatural deaths.

Keywords

Unnatural deaths, RTA, Autopsy