Citation

Jakhar JK, Dhattarwal SK, Malik A, Sharma Y. Med. Legal Update 2013; 13(1): 33-35.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, R.K. Sharma and Institute of Medico-Legal Publications)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Injuries sustained due to railway mishaps are well documented. In these mishaps, ascertaining the cause of death is usually not difficult, but frequently circumstances do raise questions as to the manner of death. Decapitation or complete severance of head from the body is imminently fatal condition without any exception. A case of decapitation in a railway accident is discussed. It stresses on the fact that there is an increasing number of such cases and there is always a question whether the death was a homicide or suicide or an accident. The combination of death scene findings and autopsy results will in most cases distinguish between homicidal and other modes of death.

Language: en

Keywords

homicide; suicide; autopsy; article; nonhuman; railway; Decapitation; decapitation; Railway accident; Spinal cord transection