Autopsy analysis of custodial deaths in RNT Medical College, Udaipur

Abstract

It is seen that death in police and judicial custody is increasing with time especially at tertiary care centers where central jail has larger capacity to keep prisoners and sick prisoners are referred to tertiary care centers for better treatment. National Human Rights Commission of India has laid down strict guidelines to be followed after custodial deaths, these deaths include death in police custody and in judicial custody (both under trial prisoner and those convicted). A retrospective autopsy based study on custodial deaths was conducted at RNT Medical College Udaipur for duration of 5 years from 2014 to 2018 to know about the possible reasons of their death and what could be the possible remedies to the issue under study. Among the 54 custodial deaths in the study, 50 were male and four female, with maximum cases 17 being from the age group of 41–50 years. Tuberculosis as cause of death accounted for 14 (24.92%) deaths, followed by other lung diseases. Three cases of unnatural deaths occurred (two of hanging and one of head injury). This study emphasizes on better implementation of medical services and tuberculosis control program in prisons. And also on overcrowding of prisoners in jail to curtail communicable diseases, proper nutritive input to diseased person. Promoting meditation, yoga, and suicidal awareness among custody staff may help in early detection of suicidal tendency in prisoners.