Rama Krishna Pedada, Pedada Venkata Ramana Rao
BACKGROUND The objective of the study is to analyse and review the incidence of deaths due to hanging at Andhra Medical College mortuary, Visakhapatnam city. MATERIALS AND METHODS This is an analytical study of all the deaths due to hanging seen in the department of forensic medicine & toxicology, Andhra Medical College, Visakhapatnam city from January 2011 to December 2015. RESULTS A total of 8831 autopsies were done during the period. Seven hundred and sixteen (716) cases received by the mortuary were deaths due to hanging. Among them 377 cases were males and 339 cases were females. Majority of victims (67%) were aged between 21 to 40 years. Depression was the main motive for suicidal hanging accounting for 29%. Atypical hangings attributed for 83% of cases. Soft material was the commonest ligature material. Ligature mark was on and above the level of laryngeal prominence in 706 cases. Marital history, place of hanging, point of suspension, position of tongue and salivary dribbling are also ascertained. CONCLUSION This study highlights changing medicolegal scenario of opting hanging as commonest method of suicide and variations in presentation of hanging.
