break up of autopsies conducted at district head quarter hospital Kasur

ABSTRACT

This is the first time study to find out the cause and manner of death through medico-legal autopsies in a small district comprising municipal boundaries and rural setup [District Kasur] and comparing it with urban studies conducted by the Forensic Medicine Departments of various medical colleges. This study is also aimed to assess the criminal behavior in this segment of society. Observational Study. This study was conducted at District Head Quarter Hospital Kasur from 2008 to 2010. This study was carried out on 451 medico legal autopsies performed at District Head Quarter Hospital Kasur. The findings were extracted from autopsy reports, chemical examiner reports, relevant hospital record and police documents. The cases were examined for various characteristics like cause and manner of manner of death, age and sex of victim and condition of body at the time of autopsy. The results revealed that homicide was the most common manner [82.26%] among unnatural deaths and males became three times more victims than females. The most vulnerable age group in unnatural deaths were from 15 to 45 years [77.39%]. In 44.12% cases firearm is the weapon responsible for death. Regarding condition of body at autopsy, 364 [80.71%] bodies were in fresh condition. Medico legal autopsy rate reflects the incidence of crime and criminal behavior of that segment of society. Compared with more civilized societies the crime incidence in our society is very high. In order to control it, we need to change the behavior of society through improvement in literacy rate, socioeconomic status and law and order situation. In order to improve the quality of medico-legal reporting there is need to strengthen the expertise in forensic medicine both at urban and rural level