A Forensic Analysis of Ligature Material in Suicidal Hangings
Journal Title: International Journal of Forensic Sciences - Year 2018, Vol 3, Issue 2
Abstract
Background: Suicide is one of the commonest causes of death worldwide and has a great public health effect. The cause of suicide is found to be multi-factorial in which biological, psychological, social and environmental factors act together. The choice of method depends on the accessibility and availability of the means on the spot at the time of act. Objective: To find the choice of ligature material used by the victims, type of hanging in relation to the point of suspension and other related factors. Materials and Methods: The present study is a retrospective analysis of 122 cases of suicidal hanging received for examination at Regional Forensic Science Laboratory, Northern Range, Dharamshala, India during five year period from September 2009 to December, 2014. Results: Male (68.85%) outnumbered females (31.15%) in committing suicide by hanging. Most commonly used ligature material was rope (43.44%) followed by chunni/dupatta (40.16%). The nature of ligature material was soft in 52.45% cases while hard material was used in 47.54% cases. Most victims had complete suspension (83.60%). 74.59% victims preferred indoor sites. Most commonly used suspension point was iron guider (23.77%). The position of knot was observed on left side of neck in 50% cases followed by right side of neck in 23.77% cases. The ligature mark was oblique shaped in 95.08% cases. Conclusions: The commonly used ligature was a rope with guider, ceiling fan and tree branches as the point of suspension. Rope is easily available in almost every house and is more frequently used for domestic purposes like fetching fodder, drying clothes, tying domestic animals and pets, harvesting purposes and other activities. Social, cultural and economic values must be strengthened to help reduce incidence of suicide
Authors and Affiliations
Pal SK*, Rana A, Sharma A, Kaushik N and Sehgal A
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP746097
- DOI 10.23880/ijfsc-16000138
- Views 25
- Downloads 0
Can the Definition of Lying as Known in Real Space be Applied to Lies Perpetuated in the Virtual, Particularly with Regard to the Behavioural Differentiations that Virtual Space Promotes?
When I discovered that man's behaviour in virtual space is different from that of real space, I tried to understand how the work of other researchers could be integrated into these new behaviours. New behaviours that ar...
Prisoners' Rights. Pre-Trial Detention vs. Deprivation of Liberty
The principle of the presumption of innocence is recognised in most legal systems all over the world. That principle requires that public statements and official decisions from public authorities do not refer to the sus...
A Versatile Tool Alternative Light Source (ALS) in Forensic Investigation
Forensic science is a very powerful investigative tool, irreplaceable in many instances for the elucidation of complex cases and for an objective understanding of the dynamics of criminal acts. Reliable and perfect find...
Were Moses and Aaron the First Bioterrorists?
The exodus of the Israelite slaves from Egypt was a momentous event in religious history. The Pharaoh had refused to free them until a series of ten plagues occurred sometime between 1570-1550 BCE. During the fifth plag...
Biomechanics and Methodology for the Analysis of Injuries Related to Forensic Technical Correlations
The paper describes the definition of biomechanics and methodologies to identify injuries, injury sources and injury causation. Different questions raised from the police, persecution, or judge needs special demands for...