An Autopsy Study of Medicolegal Aspects of Burn Death among Married Females

Abstract

Background - Burn injuries are very common cause of morbidity and mortality among Indian populations
specially the bride burning cases which are related to dowry deaths. The study was aimed to analyze the
epidemiology, pattern, cause and manner of deaths to formulate burn the possible preventive strategies.
Methods - In present study we analyzed the autopsy done in the department of forensic science & toxicology,
Institute of Medical Science, BHU, Varanasi, U.P., India from the period of March 2014 to August 2015. We
reported total 155 unnatural deaths of women who died within seven years of their marriage and out of them
total 96(62%) cases were due to burn.
Conclusion- The most of the cases (51%) reported within 2 to 5 years after marriage and majority (70%)
of them happened in kitchen where cooking gas was most common (64%) source of burn. Maximum (35%)
case were having total body surface area(TBSA) 51-60% and 92% of victim died in hospital and septicemia
was major (60%) cause of death. Most of the deaths (56.25%) were suicidal in nature. Such bridal deaths are
major concern toward the society, health agencies and law enforcing agencies.