SUICIDAL CUT THROAT - A CASE REPORT - medIND
SUICIDAL CUT THROAT - A CASE REPORT - medIND
SUICIDAL CUT THROAT - A CASE REPORT - medIND
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were present in the intestines.<br />
Death was opined as due to haemorrhagic<br />
shock resulting from incised wound on the neck<br />
produced by sharp weapon. Suicidal in nature. Time<br />
since death was given as 12-18 hours<br />
(approximately) at the time of autopsy. Injuries were<br />
antemortem in nature and fresh at the time of<br />
death.<br />
DISCUSSION<br />
Under Section 306 IPC, if any person commits<br />
suicide, whoever abets the commission of such<br />
suicide, shall be punished with imprisonment of<br />
either description for a term, which may extend to<br />
ten years, and shall be liable to fine. Under Section<br />
309 IPC, whoever attempts to commit suicide and<br />
does any act towards the commission of such<br />
offence, shall be punished with simple<br />
imprisonment for a term, which may extend to one<br />
year or with fine or with both[5]. Suicide is a problem<br />
with many facets from the psychiatric and<br />
psychological point of view on one hand and to the<br />
mechanic of the mode of death on the other. For<br />
every suicide there is a far larger number of<br />
attempted suicides and suicidal gesture, so that<br />
the successful suicides are merely the tip of the<br />
proverbial iceberg. According to WHO estimate,<br />
approximately 8,14,000 people died by suicide in<br />
the year 2000. In the past 45 years suicide rates<br />
have increased by 60% in some countries and<br />
suicide is now one of the three leading causes of<br />
death among those aged 15 - 34 years worldwide.<br />
This data clearly indicate that suicide is a serious<br />
public health problem[6]. In the present case study<br />
the victim was a 28-year-old male with a history of<br />
depression for the last few years. Suicidal deaths<br />
are attracting increasingly more attention from the<br />
medical professional and public health agencies.<br />
The common methods used for committing suicide<br />
in our country are hanging, consumption of poison,<br />
burns, jumping from height, drowning, firearms,<br />
stabbing etc. The choice of method used to commit<br />
suicide depends upon the availability of means,<br />
knowledge about lethal effectiveness and the<br />
victims' motivation and intent[7]. Regardless to any<br />
real or suspected trend, suicide is a public health<br />
problem by virtue of the present incidence[8].<br />
Agnihotri AK[9] stated that incised wounds are<br />
usually suicidal while chopped wounds (i.e. type of<br />
261<br />
JIAFM, 2005 : 27 (4). ISSN 0971-0973<br />
incised wound) and stab wounds are usually<br />
homicidal. They found the stab wound to be more<br />
common compared to cut throat in males as well<br />
as females. Suicidal incised wounds were found<br />
most commonly in the neck and wrist. The<br />
hesitation marks, which were superficial, were<br />
associated with the main wound in the neck region.<br />
The suicidal victims were found dead in their home.<br />
Injuries on the back and genitalia were uncommon<br />
in suicidals. According to Karisson T[10] stab<br />
wounds on the chest (horizontal) were commonest<br />
cause of suicide followed by cut in the wrist.<br />
According to his study, irrespective of sex, majority<br />
of both suicide and homicides took pace in the<br />
victim's home. In this present case the suicidal<br />
victim was found dead in his home with an incised<br />
wound in the neck and associated with hesitational<br />
wounds.<br />
CONCLUSION<br />
Cut throat is not the commonly preferred<br />
method for committing suicide. Homicidal cut throat<br />
injuries are more commonly found in others studies.<br />
The gravity of the situation that makes a person to<br />
commit suicide need to be dealt with and medical<br />
help should be provided once the person shows<br />
any symptoms and signs of suicidal tendency.<br />
Attempts should be made to reach out to this<br />
individuals and proper counseling should be done<br />
so as to enable them to cope with the situation.<br />
The public should also be made aware of Section<br />
306 and 309 IPC; because abetment of suicide is<br />
punishable under Sec. 306 IPC for a term, which<br />
may extend to 10 years and attempt to commit<br />
suicide is punishable under Sec. 309 IPC5 for a<br />
term, which may extend to 1 year, with fine or with<br />
both. The purpose of psychological autopsy are to<br />
identify factors that contributed to suicides, helps<br />
professional who work with suicidal client, prevent<br />
suicide in future and supplement findings on<br />
physical autopsy.<br />
References<br />
1. Horswell J. Suspicious Deaths,<br />
Encyclopedia of Forensic Sciences. Jay A<br />
Siegel, Pekka J Saukko and Geoffrey C<br />
Knupfer: Academic Press, San Diego, 2000,1:<br />
463.<br />
2. John P. Friel. Dorland's Illustrated Medical