Analysis of Hanging Cases Brought to Mortuary of Lok Nayak Hospital, New Delhi: A 3-Year Retrospective Study

Abstract

The incidence of hanging as a means adopted for committing suicide has been on the rise. Hanging provides painless death so it is one of the commonly adopted methods for suicide. This retrospective study including 173 hanging cases was conducted with an objective to find the pattern of hanging cases as a method of suicide. Male victims constituted 72.8% with male:female ratio being 2.7:1. Young adults in the age group of 16 to 35 years were more involved. Rainy season recorded maximum cases of hanging, that is, 67 cases (38.7%), whereas winter season recorded the least number, that is, 42 cases (24.3%). Most commonly used ligature material in this study in 149 cases (86.1%) was sari/dupatta/bedsheet. Autopsy findings revealed dribbling of saliva in 129 cases (74.6%), cyanosis in 150 cases (86.7%), and petechial hemorrhages on lungs in 115 cases (66.5%). Ligature mark was above the level of thyroid cartilage and parchmentized in all the cases. Additional injuries were present in 1.2% of cases. Neck structures were normal in all the cases and cause of death was mechanical asphyxia in 169 cases (97.6%).

Keywords

• Hanging
• ligature materials
• ligature marks