A Study of Unnatural Death Profile in Mangalore, Southern India 2011-2020

Authors

  • Shodhan Rao Pejavar
  • Francis N. P. Monteiro
  • Neena Priyadarshini AV
  • Shyna Quadras
  • Rashmi R Aithal
  • Haneil Larson D’Souza

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.37506/ijfmt.v17i2.19194

Keywords:

Medicolegal autopsy; Postmortem; Road Traffic Accidents (R.T.A.) Unnatural deaths

Abstract

When death is unexpected, sudden, litigious, or unexplained, or if it is a criminal death, an autopsy becomes imperative.A forensic autopsy or medicolegal autopsy is “an examination conducted postmortem to address medicolegal objectives. A comprehensive profile of medicolegal autopsies undertaken over ten years (2011–2020) was evaluated at the A.J. Institute of Medical Sciences & Research Centre, Mangaluru/Mangalore. Of the 1842 autopsied incidents, Sixty-two per cent of the autopsied victims were males. Seventy per cent of the overall deaths were between 20 and 49 years old. Road Traffic Accidents (R.T.A.) accounted for 45% of autopsied cases.The 3rd and 4th decades showed peak incidences of Road Traffic Accidents, fall from height, drowning, and burns.Seventy-six percent of unnatural deaths were accidental, 71.9% were due to road traffic incidents. Unnatural deaths do have medicolegal, social and preventive facets. Despite preventive measures, the dominance of Road traffic fatalities is a crucial cause of concern. The multipronged approach involving individuals, family, society, and law enforcement agencies will go a long way in preventing this vast and unfortunate loss of human lives because of accidents

Author Biographies

  • Shodhan Rao Pejavar

    Assistant Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, A. J. Institute of Medical Sciences & Research Centre, Mangalore, Karnataka, India

  • Francis N. P. Monteiro

    Professor & Head, Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Manipal University College Malaysia, Melaka, Malaysia

  • Neena Priyadarshini AV

    Associate Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Malabar Medical College Hospital & Research Centre, Modakkallur, Calicut, Kerala, India

  • Shyna Quadras

    Pre-Med Student, Stony Brook University, 100 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook, U.S.A,

  • Rashmi R Aithal

    Senior Resident, Department of Anaesthesiology, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, Karnataka, India,

  • Haneil Larson D’Souza

    Associate Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal.

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Published

2023-04-05

How to Cite

A Study of Unnatural Death Profile in Mangalore, Southern India 2011-2020. (2023). Indian Journal of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, 17(2), 147-151. https://doi.org/10.37506/ijfmt.v17i2.19194