Citation

Sinha US, Kapoor AK, Pandey SK. Int. J. Med. Toxicol. Legal Med. 2002; 5(1): 35-40.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2002, India Medico Legal Society)

DOI

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PMID

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Abstract

This epidemiological study conducted in Allahabad range for a period of 4 years (1995 - 1998) analyzed involvement of various parameters and their relevance to medico-legal aspect of dowry death cases. A total of 569 alleged dowry death cases were recorded during the study period in Allahabad range, which included districts of Allahabad, Fatehpur and Pratapgalrh. Allahabad topped the list with 304 cases. Majority of cases 454 were homicidal and the ratio between homicidal and suicidal deaths was 3.95: I. Mostly young, Hindu married, non graduate of low and lower-middle class families were involved. The most vulnerable age group was 18-32 years comprising of 87.87% of all recorded alleged dowry deaths. The most common cause of deaths was due to burn injury followed by poisoning (specially Alluminium Phosphide). Majority of dowry deaths occurred during night followed by deaths in evening and mostly housewives were involved i.e. 92.97%. Majority of dowry death cases were drawn from joint family i.e. 472 cases compared to nuclear family and incidence was more in arranged marriage. Husbands and his relatives were primarily responsible for killing or forcing the victim to end her life. The main location of incidence of dowry death was in-laws house followed by husband's house totaling 523 cases. The important contributing factors responsible for a rising trend in dowry death cases include level of education in women, joint family, unemployment of husband, dependence of women on husband and in-laws, infidelity etc. The rising trends of dowry deaths reflected that prevailing laws dealing with dowry are inadequate hence enactment of more deterrent laws for the offender should be considered. Besides, an improvement in educational cum employment potentials and overall socio-economic status of women are the prime measures to check this social scourge.

Language: en

Keywords

adult; aluminum phosphide; article; Asphydil; asphyxia; autopsy; burn; Burns; cause of death; comparative study; controlled study; data analysis; death; Dowry death; education; employment; epidemiological data; family size; female; homicide; human; incidence; India; intoxication; law; legal aspect; major clinical study; male; marriage; medicolegal aspect; offender; Poision; socioeconomics; statistical analysis; suicide; Unnatural cause of death