STRANGULATION
CONTENTS:
Definition
Types
Throttling
Ligature Strangulation
Post Mortem Features in Ligature
Strangulation
Medicolegal Aspects
DEFINITION:
Application of external pressure on the neck either by
bare hands, or by a
ligature, or by any other material.
It is a form of asphyxia caused by constriction of the
neck without suspending
the body.
TYPES:
Strangulation that is effected by a ligature is
called LIGATURE STRANGULATION, while that
which is accomplished by bare hands is called
MANUAL STRANGULATION, or THROTTLING
MANUAL STRANGULATION
(THROTTLING):
When hands are used to squeeze or compress
the neck.
It is always homicidal. At times however, a mild
playful tweak on the neck has resulted in death
from vagal inhibition.
AUTOPSY FINDINGS:
Signs of asphyxia are seen. In addition, the
following specific findings may be present:
[Link] of the neck
Occurs due to the assailant’s fingers grasping the
neck. Usually circular, dark red or purple in
colour, and are 1-2cm in size. If the fingers slide
over the skin, elongated marks may be seen.
[Link] on the neck
Scratches maybe caused by the fingernails of
either the assailant or the victim. Curved or
linear. During autopsy, scrapings from under the
fingernails of the deceased maybe taken for DNA
fingerprinting and compared with that of the
suspect, because the victim may have scratched
the assailant in an attempt to ward off the attack.
INTERNAL APPEARANCES:
Tissues of the neck are often markedly contused.
Bleeding maybe seens in the strap muscles or
platysma.
If excessive force has been applied, bleeding from
larynx may have occurred
LIGATURE STRANGULATION:
Materials used for ligature strangulation can be
anything from flexible rubber tubing to cloth, or
stick, wooden planks, belts, wire, rope etc.
Usually wound transversely around the neck,
sometimes with several turns and is often below
the level of the thyroid cartilage.
Intense congestion of the face, bleeding from
nose, mouth and even ears are characteristic
features.
Involuntary passage of urine, defecation etc.
are more common in hanging.
In infants, homicidal strangulation maybe
brought about by winding the umbilical cord
around the neck.
Variations include BANSDOLA, MUGGING and
GARROTING.
Bansdola:
A wooden pole or rod is placed over the front of,
and behind the neck.
One end of these rods is fastened together by a
rope.
Other ends when forcefully brought together
squuze the neck to cause death.
Mugging:
Brought about by squeezing the neck of the
victim in the crook of the elbow, or the bend of
the knee.
Garroting:
Method of judicial execution in some countries.
Victim is made to wear a neck collar of metal.
Death is brought about by tightening the collar.
Since there is upward pull, the resulting
ligature mark may resemble that of hanging.
AUTOPSY FINDINGS OF LIGATURE STRANGULATION
Tongue is often protruded.
Bleeding from the ears or the nose maybe seen.
The ligature mark is seen as a depression around
the neck because of oedema of the tissues above
and below it.
The skin over the mark is dry and hard. The base
appears pale, while the edges show small
abrasions.
The width of the mark depends on the ligature used.
The pattern of the ligature may get imprinted on the
skin as imprint abrasion.
MEDICOLEGAL ASPECTS:
Strangulation is usually homicidal.
Suicidal strangulation is rare, because once anoxia sets in,
the pressure over the
neck gets relaxed.
Accidental strangulation is rare, but it may occur when
clothing such as dupatta,
neck band, or cord gets tightly drawn around the neck, in
an abrupt manner