ANALYSIS OF MEDICOLEGAL AUTOPSIES OF UNNATURAL DEATHS IN MARDAN, PAKISTAN

Abstract

Background: A medicolegal autopsy is a scientific examination of a deceased person’s corpse conducted to ascertainthe cause and method of death as well as to confirm or rule out any suspicion of foul play about the dead person.Objectives: This prospective investigation aimed to examine 169 medicolegal autopsies performed at Mardan MedicalComplex Hospital in 2018. In addition to providing important information for medicolegal inquiries in the area, theresearch sought to ascertain the reason and manner of death, evaluate gender and age distribution, and pinpoint themost common causes of unnatural deaths.Study design: A Prospective studyDuration and setting: Cases were sent to the Mardan Medical Complex Hospital Mardan’s medicolegal divisionbetween January 1 and December 31, 2018.Methods: Included were all 169 deceased corpses that the police had requested be autopsied. Age, gender, modeof death, kind of weapon used, and place of residence were taken into account while analysing criminal fatalities.Numbers and percentages were used to represent the data and results that were gathered.Results: 169 medicolegal autopsies were performed in a single year. There were 42 (24.85%) girls and 127 (75.14%)men. The number of accidental fatalities was much higher than the number of homicidal (61, 36.09%) and suicide(40, 23.66%) deaths (65, 38.46%). Accidents involving cars caused the majority of fatalities, which were thenfollowed by weapons, both blunt and pointed. Ninety-two (53.25%) cases were from rural regions, while forty-seven(46.74%) were from urban areas.Conclusion: Males were more prevalent than females. The age range of 20 to 29 was found to be the most oftenafflicted. The majority of unnatural death victims were killed in car accidents, then by firearms. There were morecasualties in rural areas than in cities.Keywords: Autopsy, Cause of death, Unnatural Death, Homicide, Suicide, Accidents