Epidemiology of unnatural death due to suspected poisoning in women in Varanasi, India

Introduction: Unnatural deaths due to suspected poisoning in women have a serious psychological and social impact on the family and community. Sections 284, 299, 300, 304A, 324,326 and 328 of IPC deal with offences relating to the handling and administration of Poisonous substances. Aims and Objective: To find out how death due to suspected poisoning affects incidence, age, sex, habitat, marital status, religion, manner of death, medico legal consequence and preventive measures. Material and Method: The present retrospective study has been conducted for the period of 5 consecutive years i.e. 2009 to 2013 based on autopsy records of the unnatural death cases resulting from suspected poisoning. During the study period, total numbers of unnatural death cases were 10195 and death due to suspected poisoning in female were 255. These cases were brought to the Department of Forensic Medicine, IMS, BHU Varanasi and have been analyzed retrospectively. Result: The suspected poisoning in women constituted 2.50% of total autopsied cases. Male victims (71.54%) outnumbered females (28.46%) and maximum number of cases were in the age group of 21-30 years (45.10%). Among the cases whose marital status was known (194) i.e.21.65%, 0% cases were male and 100% were female. More cases (women) were from rural habitat (25.67%) than urban (1.67%). Hindus outnumbered 250 (27.90%) the Muslim. Manner of death 250 (27.90%) cases due to poisoning were suicidal. Toxicology: science dealing with properties, actions, toxicity, fatal dose, detection, estimation, treatment and autopsy finding (in case of death) in relation the poisonous substances. Poison: It is a substance which if in introduced in the living body or brought into contact with any part thereof produce ill health or death by its constitutional or local effect or both1. Poisoning has be Conclusion: Analysis of data for retrospective study suggests that age, sex, habitat, marital status, religion and manner of death significantly affect community.