The pattern of unnatural female deaths in Lucknow district – A post mortem study

Abstract

Uttar Pradesh has topped the list with 56,011 cases of crime against a woman in 2017, this includes murder, rape, dowry death,  suicide, abatement etc. A steady increase in the number of road traffic accidents, accidental burns, poisoning, drowning, electrocution,  as well as increase in crime &domestic violence against females or dowry deaths has also been observed in last few decades. So the  aim of our study was to study and compare the pattern of unnatural deaths in female autopsy cases brought in the mortuary of KGMU,  Lucknow from year November 2017 to October 2018 and November 2018 to October 2019. A total 2,437 female autopsy cases with  1239 cases in Year 1 and 1198 cases in Year 2, was brought. Parameters such as age, religion, region (rural or urban), seasonal  variation and cause of death were analyzed. The results in our study showed that out of total 10,458 cases, 2,437 (23.30%) were  female deaths. Majority of females deaths were from rural areas. The most common age group affected in both years was 21-30 years  with 422 (34.06%) cases in Year 1 & 425 (35.48%) cases in Year 2. There was no specific seasonal variation. The deceased females  were mostly Hindus followed by Muslims. Most common unnatural causes of death was seen to be due be blunt trauma, followed by  burn, and asphyxial deaths, and the most common age group involved was 21-30 years, which suggest that drastic measures and  strengthening of on-going means, like road safety measures, safe cooking, awareness and education of female child about sex and sex  related offences are still needed at large.