MEDICOLEGAL AUTOPSIES;

Abstract

Background: Due to high increase in the population, there is sharp increase in the accidental, homicidal, suicidal and natural deaths. Objective: To evaluate and audit the frequency of death patterns in the city of Faisalabad. Study Design: It is a cross sectional study. Setting & Duration: Study was conducted in the Department of Forensic Medicine, Faisalabad Medical University (FMU) Faisalabad for a period of one year i.e. 1st January, 2017 to 31st December, 2017. Methodology: The record of all unnatural deaths brought for medicolegal autopsies during the study period were examined in detail with special reference to the frequency of death patterns, manners & modalities of those cases. The data was entered in the predesigned performa & analysed by using SPSS. Results: Study revealed that frequency of unnatural death in Faisalabad is similar to those conducted in other cities, but higher rates may be due to the fact that Faisalabad is thickly populated & third largest city of Pakistan. Out of total 255 cases of unnatural deaths reported for medico-legal autopsies in FMU Faisalabad (80.40 %) were male and (19.6%) females. Accidental deaths occurred in (28.62%) cases, homicidal deaths involved (50.58%), suicide took the lives of (3.9%) cases and (2.7%) persons died of natural causes whereas manner of death remained undetermined in (14.11%) cases. Unnatural deaths were reported more frequently in the age group 20–29 years involving (24.70%) cases. Conclusion: Homicide is higher in this region and Firearm is the weapon of choice for assailants. This increasing death toll of homicide may be due to increase in frustration and intolerance in the society.