1Assistant Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Army College of Medical Sciences, Delhi Cantonment, Near Base Hospital, New Delhi, India
2Assistant Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Ansari Nagar, New Delhi, India
3Associate Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine, VMMC & Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi
4Assistant Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine, Shivamogga Institute of Medical Sciences, District Hospital, Shivamogga, Karnataka
5Assistant Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Army College of Medical Sciences, Delhi Cantonment, Near Base Hospital, New Delhi, India
Online published on 7 February, 2017.
Determining the manner of death in equivocal cases of fatal compression of neck by ligature had been a challenge for the autopsy surgeons. Keeping the same in view, the profile of fatal compression of neck by ligature along with the appearance of ligature mark and other external findings was studied so as to note down any specific pattern which could help to differentiate between a case of hanging and ligature strangulation. The study was conducted in a prospective manner in UCMS and GTB Hospital, New Delhi. The hanging cases were all suicidal in nature while no suicide case was reported in strangulation cases. The frequency of hanging was found to be more in the younger age groups of 21–30 years followed by 11–20 years. The pattern of ligature mark was found to be a reliable factor to differentiate between the cases of hanging and strangulation.
Hanging, Strangulation, Ligature Mark, Sub-conjuctival Hemorrhage, Facial Congestion
