Citation

Vohra VK, Agarwal HKS, Singh D, Malik S. Med. Legal Update 2016; 16(1): 60-65.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, R.K. Sharma and Institute of Medico-Legal Publications)

DOI

10.5958/0974-1283.2016.00013.X

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

In any civilized nation, death in custody would pose several questions regarding safety of the person under confinement, and the functioning of law enforcement agencies comes under scanner. To analyze this situation from all aspects, present prospective study was conducted in the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Govt. Medical College, Amritsar. A total of 70 (57 male and 13 female) cases of custodial deaths over a study period of 2 years were examined in detail. In 56 cases (80%), the cause of death was natural, while in 14 (20%) cases it was unnatural. In natural deaths, coronary artery disease (22.8%) and pulmonary tuberculosis (17.1%) were the two main causes of death. Of unnatural deaths, 10% were due to suicide, 4.3% were due to homicide and 5.8% were accidental in manner. This study emphasizes the role of doctor to evaluate cause of death and manner of death in custody and to suggest various means for the welfare of prisoners. © 2016, World Informations Syndicate. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

adolescent; adult; human; homicide; child; female; male; Manner of death; liver failure; cause of death; hanging; Cause of death; intoxication; death; major clinical study; physician; school child; middle aged; prisoner; seizure; mental hospital; coronary artery disease; accidental death; septicemia; prospective study; cervical spine injury; welfare; chronic obstructive lung disease; detention; pneumonia; acute kidney tubule necrosis; Article; lung tuberculosis; custodial death; Custodial deaths; custodial care; Role of doctor