Profile of Drowning Deaths at a Tertiary Care Centre in Ambala District of Haryana, India: An Autopsy-Based Retrospective Study

Drowning remains a significant yet preventable cause of unintentional mortality worldwide. This study explores the epidemiological and medico-legal aspects of drowning-related fatalities based on autopsy records in a tertiary care setting in Ambala, Haryana. The study was carried out to identify patterns in age, gender, seasonality, place, and manner of drowning among victims subjected to postmortem examination, and to determine the most vulnerable groups.

A retrospective descriptive analysis was conducted over 12 years (2013–2024) using autopsy and police inquest records. The study comprises 62 cases that met the inclusion criteria and were studied for demographic and circumstantial variables. The data was tabulated, and descriptive data analysis was performed using Microsoft Excel 2021.

Drowning accounted for 3.3% of all medicolegal autopsies. Males constituted the majority (88.7%), and the highest incidence was among individuals aged 11-20 years (29%). The majority of the victims were from rural areas (75.8%) and were mostly daily-wage laborers (35.5%), followed by students (24.2%). The peak drowning season was monsoon, constituting 43.5% of cases, with canals being the most frequent site (61.3%) of these drownings. Accidental drowning (64.5%) was the predominant manner of death. Froth from the mouth or nostrils was observed in 64.5% cases. The decomposition changes were present in 53.2% of the autopsied bodies.

This study highlights critical patterns in drowning-related deaths in Northern Haryana. The findings underline the need for targeted community awareness, improved water safety infrastructure, and region-specific prevention strategies.