JPAFMAT, 2003, Vol.

: 3; ISSN - 0972 - 5687

A STUDY OF DEMOGRAPHIC VARIABLES OF VIOLENT

ASPHYXIAL DEATH

DR. AMANDEEP SINGH, Junior Resident

DR. R.K.GOREA, Professor and Head
Deptt. of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Govt. Medical College, Patiala (INDIA)
DR. J.S. DALAL, Professor and head
DR. A.S. THIND, Associate Professor
Deptt. of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Guru Gobind Singh Medical College, Faridkot (INDIA)
DR. DEEPAK WALIA, Assistant Professor
Deptt. of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Government Medical College, Amritsar (INDIA)

ABSTRACT
This is a study of violent asphyxial deaths carried out in the department of Forensic Medicine and
Toxicology, Patiala. The study includes the retrospective evaluation of 111 deaths occurring due to asphyxia
out of the total number of autopsies that were conducted in the mortuary of Rajindra Hospital, Patiala
during the period of 4 years i.e. 2000 to 2003. The distribution of different violent asphyxial death, their
relationship with sex of the person and area to which these person belonged, are presented and discussed.
Keyword : Violent Asphyxia, Death, Hanging, Drowning, Strangulation, Throttling, Traumatic asphyxia

INTRODUCTION both exposed to such stresses but it seem that ours

Term Asphyxia may be defined as a state in
which the body lacks oxygen because of some
mechanical interference with the process of
breathing [1]. Violent asphyxial deaths are of
common occurrence and classified as Hanging,
Drowning, Strangulation, Suffocation and Traumatic
asphyxia. The hanging and drowning are commonly
seen in suicidal cases while strangulation including
throttling is usually homicidal. In addition to these
accidental compression or trauma to chest that
prevent in respiratory movement, known as
traumatic asphyxia or crush injury is also one of
the cause of violent asphyxial death [2, 3].
Due to population explosion, poverty and
increasing stress and strain in our daily life, we
frequently come across cases of suicides,
homicides and accidents. Males and females are
22
being a male dominated society and more exposure
to external environment, such cases are commonly
seen in males. With urbanisation, rural areas are
also not left aloof and this can be seen from the
increasing incidence of such cases from these
areas [4].
MATERIAL AND METHOD
The material of the study comprises all the
cases of unnatural death that were autopsied in
the mortuary of Rajindra Hospital, Patiala during
the period of 4 years i.e. 2000 to 2003. The violent
asphyxial deaths whether drowning, hanging,
strangulation, throttling or traumatic asphyxia, were
all studied retrospectively. The necessary case
details were obtained from the records being
maintained in the Department of Forensic Medicine
and Toxicology, Govt. Medical College, Patiala. In
JPAFMAT, 2003, Vol.: 3; ISSN - 0972 - 5687

this study incidence of asphyxial death, its AGE WISE DISTRIBUTION OF HANGING
relationship with the sex of the deceased and area CASES (27 CASES)
to which he belongs (Rural or Urban) was studied. S.No. AGE GROUP No. of %age
cases
OBSERVATION
1 Upto 5 years - -
Out of the 2110 cases being autopsied in
2 6-10 years - -
mortuary, 111 cases were of violent asphyxia.
3 11-15 years 1 3.70%
4 16-20 years 8 29.62%
Total no. of autopsies conducted
5 21-25 years 8 29.62%
during the period of 2000-2003 2110 6 26-30 years 5 18.51%
No. violent asphyxial deaths 111 7 31-35 years 4 14.81%
8 36-40 years - -
Percentage 5.26%
9 41-45 years - -
10 46-50 years - -
The incidence of various asphyxial deaths 11 51-55 years 1 3.70%
was recorded and drowning was found to be
12 56-60 years - -
commonest of all i.e. 59.4%.
13 61-65 years - -
14 66 years & above - -
TYPE OF ASPHYXIAL DEATH
AGE WISE DISTRIBUTION OF DROWNING
S.No. Type Of No. of %age CASES (66 CASES)
Asphyxial Death Cases S.No. AGE GROUP No. of %age
cases
1 Drowning 66 59.4%
1 Upto 5 years 1 1.51%
2 Hanging 27 24.3%
2 6-10 years 2 3.03%
3 Traumatic Asphyxia 7 6.3% 3 11-15 years 3 4.54%
4 Strangulation 6 5.4% 4 15-20 years 10 15.15%

5 Throttling 5 4.5% 5 21-25 years 8 12.12%

6 26-30 years 9 13.63%
7 31-35 years 13 19.69%
Hanging was seen mostly at the age of
15-25 years while drowning was seen in all ages, 8 36-40 years 9 13.63%
predominantly in late teens and mid of adulthood. 9 41-45 years 4 6.06%
Others causes of violent asphyxia like 10 46-50 years 1 1.51%
strangulation, throttling and traumatic asphyxia 11 51-55 years 2 3.03%
were not that common and were seen in all age 12 56-60 years - -
groups.
13 61-65 years 1 1.51%
14. 66 years & above 2 3.03%

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JPAFMAT, 2003, Vol.: 3; ISSN - 0972 - 5687

S.No. Age Groups No. of No. of No. of

AREA-WISE DISTRIBUTION OF VIOLENT
ASPHYXIAL DEATHS
(years) Strangulation Throttling Traumatic
S.No. Type of Urban Rural
cases cases asphyxia
Asphyxia
1. Upto 5 1 1 -
1 Hanging 18 9
2. 6-10 - 1 -
2 Drowning 27 39
3. 11-15 1 - -
3 Traumatic Asphyxia 1 6
4. 15-20 1 - -
4 Strangulation 4 2
5. 21-25 2 1 1
5 Throttling 4 1
6. 26-30 - - -
TOTAL 54 57
7. 31-35 - 1 4
8. 36-40 1 - 2
DISCUSSION
9. 41-45 - 1 -
The incidence of death due to violent
TOTAL 6 5 7
asphyxia found in this study is 5.26% is at variance
from the study conducted by Gargi et al i.e. 3.9%
The sex wise distribution was found to be
[5]. Incidence of different type of asphyxial deaths
male dominance except in the case of strangulation
were also recorded and was seen that drowning
and throttling which were more common in females.
being the commonest i.e. 59.4%. The incidence of
S.No. Type of Males Females M/F hanging is quite near to each other in both the
Asphyxia ratio studies, 24.3% in present study and 20.7% in the
study of Gargi et al. The difference in incidence of
1 Hanging 16 11 1.45
deaths due to drowning and strangulation (59.4%
2 Drowning 50 16 3.12 and 9.9%) in this study from the study done by
3 Traumatic 6 1 6 Gargi et al (32.4% and 16.8%) can be explained
Asphyxia on the basis of different region of the study and
proximity of Bhakhra canal in region of the present
4 Strangulation 2 4 0.5
study [6, 7].
5 Throttling 1 4 0.25
Age relationship was also quite similar in both
TOTAL 75 36 these studies with hanging commonly seen
between 15 to 25 years of age group i.e. 59.24%
Lastly area-wise distribution was also noted while drowning cases although involve all the age
and was found that drowning was more commonly groups with predominance in 31 to 40 years of the
seen in rural people while hanging in urban people age group i.e. 33.32%. Strangulation and throttling
although the total number of cases was almost was commonly encountered in the early age group
equal in number. and that too in females more frequently because
smaller age and weaker sex offer less resistance
to the person who is strangulating or throttling.

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JPAFMAT, 2003, Vol.: 3; ISSN - 0972 - 5687
Males predominate both in hanging and
drowning as these are not as commonly opted
method of suicide by females as compared to
poison intake and burning [8]. The male to female
ratio in drowning is 3.12 and in hanging this ratio is
1.45. Traumatic asphyxia is also common in males'
with male to female ratio of 6, reason being they
are more exposed to external environment and this
is mostly accidental in nature.
Strangulation and throttling as earlier said are
more commonly seen in females (Male to Female
ratio 0.5 and 0.25 respectively). Regarding area-
wise distribution Drowning is found to be more
prevalent in people of rural area i.e. 59.09% while
Hanging is seen in person of urban area i.e.
66.66%. Total number of asphyxial deaths in rural
population was 51.6% and in urban population was
48.4% which were not similar to that in the study
by Gargi et al. (41.89% & 27.03% respectively) [4].
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Medical Jurisprudence - Mechanical
asphyxia, 13th ed., Churchill Livingstone;
1984; 282.
2. Parikh CK : Parikh text book of medical
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6th edition, CBS publishers New Delhi, 2002;
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3. Franklin CA : Modi's text book of Medical
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