A Retrospective Mapping of Homicide Patterns at National Capital Region of India

INTRODUCTION: India is a significant host to the homicidal deaths of different ages persons due to various reasons. The autopsy based evaluation along with the available medico legal records, inquest papers and the crime scene reports have been always important in knowing the exact reasons behind such acts.

Objective: To know about the exact reasons behind the homicides and to find out the pattern of the homicide, the motive behind the act of homicide and the perpetrator-victim relationship.

Materials and Methods: A retrospective autopsy based evaluation of homicidal deaths was done at, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi for a total duration of 20 years between Jan. 1996 to Dec-2015.

Results: Out of a total of 32,310 cases in the study group in this duration, the homicide deaths were comprised of 1918(5.9%) cases. The maximum homicides were reported against the 4^th decade age group and by ligature strangulation followed by throttling and most commonly at out of the home environment and commonly by neighbor and known perpetrators between 18-50 years of age with the personal dispute as the main motive.

Conclusion: In the study it was found that the age is no bar for the homicides and the cases have been reported from infant to old age persons. They constituted about 5.9% of all the autopsy cases with maximum number of cases in 4^th decade age-group and throttling, head injury in infants, ligature strangulation, stabbing and firearm injuries as the common means. The main reason/motive of homicide against infant was suicidal-homicidal pact, kidnapping-ransom in 1^st decade victims, sexual assault & family revenge in 2^nd decade victims and for relatives as peer-altercation and for neighbour/known persons & strangers as personal dispute.