Volume : VII, Issue : II, February - 2018

An unusual case of multiple self–inflicted stab wounds

Mahesh R. Sabale, Narendra B. Kumar

Abstract :

 

Sharp force injuries have been and will remain a major cause of violent death and trauma. Fatalities from sharp force are mainly homicidal, as suicides by sharp force represent only 1.6–3% of all suicides and pose a challenge for the forensic investigators. In this study, we present a case of multiple stab wounds over abdomen with ambiguous alleged history. A 47 years old deceased was ought for medicolegal autopsy with multiple wounds by sharp weapon on the abdomen. As alleged by the police, the deceased first stabbed his wife and got himself injured in the scuffle. The deceased was admitted in a tertiary hospital for 12 hours before succumbing to the injuries. At autopsy, multiple horizontally placed stab and incised wounds were present on the abdomen and small intestine was perforated at multiple places. Manner of death was opined to be suicidal after examining the pattern of injuries. As a rule hesitation cuts are commonly present along with self–inflicted stab wounds. If the alleged history is obscure, their absence with suicidal wounds raises suspense regarding the manner of death. It is very rare to find multiple fatal self–inflicted wounds without hesitation cuts and interpreting such injuries is pivotal for the autopsy surgeon to guide the investigating authorities.

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Article: Download PDF   DOI : 10.36106/ijsr  

Cite This Article:

Mahesh R. Sabale, Narendra B. Kumar, An unusual case of multiple self-inflicted stab wounds, INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH : Volume-7 | Issue-2 | February-2018

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