Medicolegal Autopsy in Forensic Practice: Determining Cause and Manner of Death

Abstract

Background: Medicolegal autopsy is a vital component of forensic practice, undertaken to investigate sudden, suspicious, or unnatural deaths. Accurate determination of the cause and manner of death is essential for the administration of justice, reliable mortality statistics, and public health planning.

Objective: To analyze medicolegal autopsy cases to determine the pattern of deaths and to assess the role of medicolegal autopsy in establishing the cause and manner of death.

Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in the Department of Forensic Medicine, International Medical College, Gushulia, Sataish, Tongi, Gazipur, from June 2023 to July 2024. A total of 382 medicolegal autopsy cases were included. Data were collected from police inquest reports, postmortem examination findings, and ancillary investigation reports using a structured data collection form.

Results: Males constituted 68.6% of cases, with a male-to-female ratio of approximately 2.2:1. The highest number of cases occurred in the 21–30 years age group (26.2%), followed by the 31–40 years group (22.0%). Suicidal deaths were the most common manner of death (44.0%), followed by accidental (32.5%), homicidal (14.1%), and natural deaths (9.4%). Asphyxia, mainly due to hanging, was the leading cause of death (30.4%), followed by poisoning (25.7%) and road traffic accidents (22.0%).

Conclusion: Unnatural deaths, particularly suicide, constituted the majority of medicolegal autopsy cases, predominantly affecting young and middle-aged adults. Medicolegal autopsy plays an indispensable role in accurately determining the cause and manner of death and remains essential for justice delivery and effective public health interventions.