Title 

Autopsy-Based Demographical Profile of Hanging Victims in a Rural Area of Central India. 

Authors 

Sharjeel Khan, Biyabani Naushad Husain, Shadma Quazi, B H Tirpude

Abstract 

Background: Hanging has been used as the most common suicidal method for centuries old. Typically, all hanging cases are suicidal. Accidental hanging is uncommon and homicidal cases are rare. Materials and methods: The present study was carried out at the autopsy centre of a rural medical college in India from 01/08/2011 to 31/07/2017 in which 101 cases of hanging were autopsied. Results: The most commonly adopted method was complete hanging in 77 (76.23%) cases and in 24 (23.76%) cases it was partial hanging. In the majority of victims 41 (40.59%) cases, the nylon rope was used as ligature material, in 24 (23.76%) cases the ligature material was not made available for examination, in 12 (11.88%) cases “Dupatta” was being used, in 8 (7.92%) cases, rope other than nylon rope was used, in 6 (5.94%) cases, the saree was used while the cable wire was used in 1 case (0.99%) and metallic wire in 3 (2.97%) cases. The piece of cloth and “Gamaccha (Turban)” was used as a ligature material in 2 (1.98%) and 3 (2.97%) cases respectively. Conclusion: The most common ligature material used for the hanging is nylon rope and the complete hanging method is commonly used for suspension by the victims.

 Keywords

Hanging, Ligature material, Complete hanging, Degree of suspension.

 DOI