Serial murder: An unusual stereotype.

Serial murders attract attention from the media, mental health experts, academia, and the general public. We present a case of serial murders that took place in a limited area and which caused public anxiety and anguish in central India. All the victims were homeless beggars, who were bludgeoned to death (crush injury). Individual murders were initially investigated by different police stations; fortunately, since they sent all the bodies to a common autopsy centre, a forensic pathologist was able to link all the cases, the first person to do so. This emphasises the need for sharing information among police stations and autopsy centres.

Incidence of fatal snake bite in Loni, Maharashtra: An autopsy based retrospective study (2004-2014).

Snake bite is a major public health problem specially in a rural region where agricultural work is the major source of employment. A retrospective study was undertaken of all cases of deaths due to snake bite autopsied at the Mortuary of Pravara Rural Hospital, Loni a rural area in Western Maharashtra over a period of 10 years from January 2004 to December 2014. Data of the study was gathered from autopsy reports and hospital records. The cases represented approximately 2.13% (54) of the total 2539 medico legal autopsies conducted during the study period. Most of the deaths (42.60%) occurred in the age group of 11-30 years and both males and females were affected in almost equal proportions. There was a marked increase in the number of cases in monsoon season (59.26%). The lower extremity was the most frequently involved site of bite (62.96%). Snakes were identified in 43 cases (79.63%) and among the identified cases the most common culprit was Viper amounting to 29.63% of cases followed by Krait causing 24.07% of the deaths. The findings in our study reflects the necessity of educating the rural community regarding the hazards of snake bite, importance of early medical attention and to avoid wasting vital time being engaged by traditional healers.

Course of Near-hanging Victims Succumbed to Death: A Seven Year Study.

INTRODUCTION: Near hanging refers to victims who survive a hanging injury following attempted hanging, long enough to reach hospital. Delayed deaths in near hanging patients are mostly due to complication of hanging. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the demographics, mortality patterns and cause of delayed deaths in near hanging victims. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study autopsy files over a seven year period from 2007 to 2013 were reviewed, and data of near hanging deaths (attempted hanging cases who succumbed to death and subjected for medicolegal autopsy) was extracted. Records of 14,000 autopsies was reviewed, and 10 deceased having died delayed deaths after near hanging episode were identified. In each case, the patients' details, including gender, age, type of suspension, type of ligature material used for hanging and subsequent hanging mark produced were reviewed using autopsy reports and photographs taken during autopsy. RESULTS: Demographic and pathological aspects of the each case discussed to throw light on autopsy findings in victims who died following near hanging. Complete suspension was present in 3 cases, while partial suspension was present in 7 cases. Survivals in delayed death after near hanging episode have ranged from 9 h to 72 d. Hypoxic encephalopathy was the most common cause of death, followed by pneumonia. CONCLUSION: Most of the near hanging patients did succumb to hypoxic encephalopathy; however, consolidation of lungs (pneumonia) was the next common cause of death reflecting need for aggressive oxygen therapy and selective resuscitation should be performed in all such cases.

Retrospective study of fatal electrocution in a rural region of western Maharashtra, India.

A retrospective study was undertaken of all cases of deaths due to electrocution which were autopsied at the Mortuary of Pravara Rural Hospital, Loni a rural area in Western Maharashtra over a period of 10 years from July 2004 to June 2014. Data of the study was gathered from autopsy reports and hospital records. The cases represented approximately 2.31% of all autopsy cases. All 53 deaths investigated were accidental in nature. The age range in our study was 2-67 years and majority of the victims (79.25%) were males belonging to the age group of 11-30 years. There was an increase in the electrocution deaths in monsoon season (49.06%). The upper extremity was the most frequently involved contact site (75.47%). No electrical burn mark was present in 5 cases (9.43%). 50 cases were brought dead in our rural hospital while three cases died in hospital. The findings of our study suggest that majority of the victims died in non-domestic environment in the rural region, most commonly in the farm which reflects the necessity of educating the farmers regarding proper use and precautions to be taken while handling electrically powered equipments.

Pattern of injury in fatal road traffic accidents in a rural area of western Maharashtra, India.

BACKGROUND: Fatal road traffic accidents (RTA) are a major cause of concern all over the world. The outcome of injuries sustained in an RTA depends on various factors including but not limited to: the location of the event, type of vehicle involved, nature of the roads, the time of accident, etc. AIMS: This study aims to investigate and evaluate prospectively the socio-demographic profile and pattern of injuries in victims of RTA in the rural area of the Ahmedanagar district of Maharashtra state. METHOD: This prospective study included all victims of RTA that presented to our emergency room from 1 June 2007 to 31 May 2009 and were either found dead on arrival or died during treatment. All the victims were autopsied at the post-mortem centre of Rural Medical College, Loni. RESULTS: Ninety-eight RTA victims were studied during the period. The most commonly affected age group was 20-39 years. Men died in RTA more than women. Fatal RTA were more prevalent on the secondary road system (47.97 per cent) and especially involved pedestrian and two wheeler vehicle users. Large numbers (n=63, 64.28%) of victims either died on the scene or during transportation. Numbers of skeletal injuries (199) and internal organ injuries (202) exceeded the total number of victims (98) clearly indicating the multiplicity of injuries. The majority of RTA victims (n=46, 46.93%) died due to head injury. The study showed that most deaths in RTA, brought to a tertiary care rural hospital, took place either on the spot or within 24 hours of injury which is very alarming and highlights the need to take urgent steps to establish good pre-hospital care and provision of trauma services at site. CONCLUSION: A computerised trauma registry is urgently needed to highlight risk factors, circumstances and chains of events leading to accidents. This would be extremely helpful in policy making and health management in India.