Asphyxial deaths: A study from Delhi, India

Abstract

Violent asphyxia is a commonly reported mode of death. However, it is not a single entity and the objective of this study is to figure out  the commonest form amongst them and to study the factors favouring that means. For this, the details about all the violent asphyxial  deaths autopsied between 2006 and 2010, was collected from the department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Lady Hardinge  Medical College, New Delhi. During the study period167 (6.02%) deaths were reported due to violent asphyxia (5.77/100000 per  year) out of a total of 2773 medico-legal autopsies conducted. The most common method amongst them was hanging (77.24%),  followed by drowning (9.58%) and strangulation (5.98%). Violent asphyxia contributed in 6.02% of total medico-legal autopsy cases.  The hanging was found as the most favourite means amongst them.