Five-Year Retrospective Analysis of Profile of Firearm Deaths in Pune Region

A firearm is any weapon which discharges a missile by the expansive force of the gases produced by burning of an explosive substances. According to the World Health Organization, firearms are used in two thirds of all homicide cases and one fifth of suicide cases. India's rates of violence vary greatly and in majority of firearm related injuries illegal, unlicensed weapons are used. The objective of the study is to outline the pattern of firearm injuries and deaths in this area and compare it with the pattern seen in other parts of the world. In the present study, the medicolegal autopsies conducted between January 2012 to December 2016 at B.J. Government Medical college and sassoon General Hospital, Pune, Maharashtra were analyzed retrospectively. Males were more commonly affected than females; while highest number of deceased belonged to age group of 21 to 40 years. Majority of firearm deaths were homicidal in nature; while Revenge for personal enmity and Land Dispute, Business/political rivalry were the leading circumstances leading to firearm deaths. Firearm injuries were solely present without any other injuries in majority of the cases and lung, heart and brain were common internal organs affected.