Cut Throat Injury: Homicidal or Suicidal? Crime Scene Visit Solved the Mystery

AUTHOR(s) : Waghmare PB, Bhise SS, Nanandkar SD
DOI No. : 09.2016-94139257

ABSTRACT :
A cut throat injury is mostly homicidal in nature. Often in homicide, bodies are found at remote places. In the present case a dead body was found in a sulabh souchalaya (public common toilet) with injury over neck. The door was semi closed due to victim’s legs. Police got access to body after removal of door. Body was brought for post-mortem to government medical college Mumbai. On autopsy examination a single incised cut throat injury of size 17x2 cm was found over anterior part of neck without hesitation cuts. All neck structures were severed which gives the first impression of homicide. Hence, one visit was arranged to the crime scene. Findings of crime scene and information obtained during police investigations clarifies complete picture. It was concluded as a case of suicide. Cut throat injury without hesitation cuts is rare in suicidal deaths. As this is an uncommon case an attempt is made to arrive at the conclusion of causation of injuries and manner of death by detailed autopsy examination and crime scene visit and examination which gives idea about nature of crime, thus helps crime investigations. Keywords: Cut Throat Injury, Homicide, Hesitation Cuts, Crime Scene, Suicide

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