Study of deaths in Railway Accident in Medico-legal Autopsy

The study was carried out on 500 railway related deaths in order to determine the epidemiological, forensic pathological and medico-legal profile of deceased victims brought to the mortuary of department of forensic medicine PMCH Patna between June 2011 to May 2013. Deaths due to railway accidents were 9.85% of total post-mortem examinations performed during the same period. Majority of victims (87.4%) were male, aged between 21 - 50 years. Extensive injuries all over the body were seen in almost all the cases. Injuries to head and chest were seen in 53.6% and chest & abdomen in 32.4% cases. Most of the victims (86%) died at the spot and majority of the deaths (62.8%) were accidental, however, suicidal intension was seen in 15.2% cases. In accidental deaths, fall from train was the commonest. Decapitation & hemi-section of the body at thoraco-abdominal area were seen in suicidal deaths.