A study of deaths due to railway fatalities at a tertiary care hospital mortury 2015-16

Abstract

INTRODUCTIONIn many countries including India developed speedily in every sector and with development of different sectors all over India population based problems also rises in significant manner.1 Railway accidents do occur and for which both human error and mechanical failures have always been blamed. Moreover, Railway premises being the most suitable shelter for homeless and beggars, it also accounts for deaths due to natural causes in persons who are victims of poverty and trafficking.2 Accidental deaths on railway tracks are also a common occurrence. They are usually because of a person trying to cross the track/collision between trains, automobile accident in unmanned crossings, passengers who hang out of doors and are hit by trees/poles or during outbreak of fire. 3Railways being one of the most comfortable means of transportation have a long history and an unprecedented ABSTRACT Background: Railway accidents according to the NCRB, 25,006 people died and 3,882 were injured in a total of 28,360 railway accidents across the country in last year. Railway crossing accidents like India has an extensive rail network with high levels of injury and violence. Methods: This study was conducted at Forensic medicine department, PIMS (pondicherry institute of medical sciences). The study group consisted of all the victims reporting to PIMS hospital Mortuary, during the period of study (January 2015-January 2016) were subjected to thorough post mortem examination and the pattern of injuries were noted. Results: A total of 300 postmortems, performed at the mortuary of the Dept. of Forensic Medicine, DMC during the period of January to December 2016, were studied. Of them 164 (54.89%) cases were of accidents, 72 (23.19%) cases were suicide, 54 (17.12%) cases homicide, 8 (2.46%) cases undetermined and 2 (0.80%) cases were of natural deaths. In this study accidental deaths were commonest, seen in (72.12%) cases followed by suicidal (20.63%) and least was homicidal seen in (7.16%) cases. Conclusions: Deaths have occurred in association with railway since the inception of railway in the present study males are commonest victims of railway deaths which concurs with studies conducted by other authors. Helpline numbers should be printed inside the coaches to inform the authorities in case of emergency. Railway should strictly implement the laws of railway acts and the people should be penalized for breaking the rules for the safety of passengers.

Deaths on rail roads: a study from Colombo North Teaching Hospital, Sri Lanka

“…The literature review reveals several studies from the neighboring country in relation to railway track deaths. 5,6,7 In most instances the most reliable history comes from the train driver himself. Unfortunately, due to practical difficulties the history is often obtained from by standers and other eyewitnesses related to the incident.…”

“…Male predominance has been shown in several studies. 5,6,7 The young adults are more prone to collision with trains and could be due to several reasons. In cases of accidents mobile phone usage, carelessness of the motor vehicle drivers, travelling through the railway crossing when the gates are closed, try to climb or get down from a moving train are some of the identified factors.…”

“…However, transection at the chest level is typical for suicides when a person decides to end his life by lying across a railway track to be transected by a speeding train. 5,7 This injury pattern will promote the interpretation of the circumstances in the absence of a definite or reliable history. In this study transection were only observed in suicides.…”

“…Though there were several studies related to railway deaths similar observations in selected situations were present in the neighboring country. 4,5,7,10 In most of the deaths taking place at rail roads more than the cause of death, identifying the correct circumstances is the main challenging medico-legal issue. Careful interpretation of the external and internal injuries will prevent human errors in deciding the exact circumstance.…”

Circumstances of death and pattern of fatal railway injury

“…Most of the railway related deaths happen to be accidental in nature (63.83%) although suicidal deaths are not uncommon (35.11%) and in 1 occasion, a case of homicide with post mortem railway injury was detected. Our observation is almost similar to the observation of other authors like S.J.Cina., 1 (92%), G.G.Davis., 2 (74.41%), M.K.Mohanty., 3 (80.7%), P.Ravi Kumar., 4 (72.12%), T. Mohit Kumar Moses., 5 (63%), B.Patil., 6…”