Violent asphyxial death is one of the most important causes for unnatural deaths amongst which hanging and strangulation are commonly encountered in professional life of forensic expert. Neck findings, particularly ligature mark is considered to be decisive. A prospective study was conducted on 86 cases of hanging and 4 cases of ligature strangulation brought for autopsy to the mortuary of Sir T hospital & Government Medical College, Bhavnagar, Gujarat, India during period of January 2011 to December 2011.
We found that ligature mark was obliquely placed in 100% cases of hanging and it was above thyroid cartilage while in all cases of ligature strangulation the mark was transverse and below thyroid cartilage.
Hanging, Ligature strangulation, Ligature mark
