An epidemiological study of fatal firearm cases in Varanasi, UP

Abstract

Introduction: Use of firearm is a worldwide increasing and Varanasi is no exception to this. This is due to increasing number of hijacking, urban terrorism, dacoity, rioting, robberies, smuggling of drugs, political motivation, personal and group rivalry, quarrel over land, Property, caste feuds and the like. Materials and Method: Fifty four cases of fatal firearm injury has been drawn from the medicolegal autopsies brought to the mortuary of Department of Forensic Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, U.P. India, during the period from 1 June,2009 to 30th March 2011 which were studied for a detailed epidemiological and medicolegal analysis. Results: Out of total 3534 autopsies conducted during the above period, 54 (1.52%) victims had died due to fatal firearm injury. Most of the victims (98.15%) were male. Majority (66.65%) were young adults in the age group of 21-40 years. Most of the victims, (83.33%) of fatal firearm injury were Hindus followed by Muslims (12.96%). The maximum number, 46.3% of victims came from rural areas. The occupational status of most of the victims was agriculture (40.74%) followed by business (31.48%). Conclusion: Overall incidence of fatal firearm injury is reduced because of legal restriction on license of personal firearms weapon while the incidence of firearm injury due to country made guns are increased which are illegal, easily available and cheap. ´ © 2014, Indian Journal of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology. All rights reserved.