Autopsy Based Research of Key Considerations of Electrocution Deaths

Shibanand Nepal Karmakar

Published on: 2022-12-01

Abstract

Background: The effects of electricity depend on the voltage and the resistance offered by the body. Electrical injuries consist of fatal electrocution, electric shock and burns.[1] The tissue damage associated with an electric injury occurs when an electric energy is converted to thermal energy or heat.[2][3] The commercial use of electricity as a source of power began in 1849 but accidental death from this origin was not reported until 1879.[2][4].

Conclusion: Majority of the cases were males in the age group 20-49 years. Most of the cases were married. All the cases were of accidental manner. Most of the cases were of urban area and most cases died instantaneously on the spot of accident or were brought dead at casualty of hospital.

Keywords

Forensic Medicine; Forensic Pathology; Electric current; Electrocution; Accident

Introduction

Electrical injuries are relatively common, complex and potentially devastating form of trauma, both in industrial and domestic circumstances. The manifestations and severity of electrical trauma encompass a wide spectrum, ranging from a transient unpleasant sensation due to brief contact with low-intensity household current to instantaneous death and massive injury from high-voltage electrocution/lightning injury [5]. According to NCRB data, almost 1.1 lakh people have lost their lives due to electrocution from 2011 to 2020 in India.  Also 30 people were killed by electrocution every day in India [6].

Material and Method

A prospective study was conducted in the department of forensic medicine at our tertiary care centre for a period of four years from September 2011 to August 2015. During this period more than ten thousand cases of autopsy examination were conducted in our tertiary medicolegal centre. During the same period the author had conducted about eight hundred autopsy examinations. Of these autopsy cases a total of seven cases of death due to electrocution were conducted by the author in the mentioned period of four years.

Necessary permission for the present study was obtained from institutional ethical committee. Consent is not required for conducting medicolegal autopsies in our country. All the cases were studied prospectively during routine medicolegal autopsies conducted in the institute and hence consent to participate was not required.

Inclusion criteria for the present study were:-

  • All autopsy cases at our tertiary care centre conducted by the author in cases of death due to electrocution.

Exclusion criteria for the present study were:-

  • Autopsy cases where death was not due to electrocution.
  • Autopsy cases which were not conducted by the author.
  • Autopsy cases where the reason and cause for died person were not known.
  • Autopsy cases where findings were not confirmatory of death due to electrocution.
  • Ambiguous findings on autopsy.

History of the case, the details of the cases, circumstances of the death and other relevant information related to the study was obtained from the respective investigating agencies.

The cases were studied in relation to the gender, age, manner of death, marital status, month of incidence and area of incidence.

Results

Table 1: Descriptions of the cases of electrocution deaths

Sr no

Gender

Age

Marital status

Month of

incidence

Area of incidence

Manner[Sucidei/Homicide/

Accident

Time

Duration

of survival

1

Female

28

Married

July

Rural

Accident

Died on spot or brought dead at casualty of hospital

2

Male

35

Married

January

Urban

Accident

Died admitted at hospital

3

Female

26

Un-married

May

Urban

Accident

Died on spot or brought dead at casualty of hospital

4

Male

45

Married

Septem-ber

Urban

Accident

Died on spot or brought dead at casualty of hospital

5

Male

32

Married

 December

Urban

Accident

Died on spot or brought dead at casualty of hospital

6

Male

63

Married

March

Urban

Accident

Died on spot or brought dead at casualty of hospital

7

Male

28

Un-married

June

Urban

Accident

Died on spot or brought dead at casualty of hospital

First case of electrocution was of a 28 years married female of rural area who died instantaneously on the spot of accidental manner in the month of July.

Second case of electrocution was of a 35 years married male of urban area who died after being admitted in hospital of accidental manner in the month of January.

Third case of electrocution was of a 26 years unmarried female of urban area who died instantaneously on the spot of accidental manner in the month of May.

Fourth case of electrocution was of a 45 years married male of urban area who died instantaneously on the spot of accidental manner in the month of September.

Fifth case of electrocution was of a 32 years married male of urban area who died instantaneously on the spot of accidental manner in the month of December.

Sixth case of electrocution was of a 63 years widower male of urban area who died instantaneously on the spot of accidental manner in the month of March.

Seventh case of electrocution was of a 28 years unmarried male of urban area who died instantaneously on the spot of accidental manner in the month of June.

Table 2: Age-wise and Gender wise distribution of cases

Age in years

Males

Females

Total

0 to 9 yrs

0

0

0

10 to 19 yrs

0

0

0

20 to 29 yrs

1

2

3

30 to 39 yrs

2

0

2

40 to 49 yrs

1

0

1

50 to 59 yrs

0

0

0

60 to 69 yrs

1

0

1

>70 yrs

0

0

0

Total

05

02

7

Of the 7 cases of electrocution; 5 cases were male and 2 cases were female.

Of the total 7 cases of electrocution; 3 cases were in age group 20-29 years, 2 cases were in the age group 30-39 years, while one case were in the age group of 40-49 years and 60-69 years age group each.

Of the 5 male cases of electrocution; 2 cases were in the age group 30-39 years, while one case was in 20-29 years age group, 40-49 years age group and 60-69 years age group each.

Of the 2 female cases of electrocution both the cases were in the age group 20-29 year’s age group.

Table 3: Marital status of cases

 

Married

Unmarried

Widow

Males

03

01

01

Females

01

01

0

Total

04

02

01

Of the 7 cases of electrocution; 4 cases were married, 2 cases was unmarried and 1 case was widower.

Of the 5 male cases of electrocution; 3 cases were married while one case was unmarried and widower each.

Of the 2 female cases of electrocution; one case was married and other one case was unmarried.

Table 4: Month of incidence of cases

Month

No of Cases

% of cases

January

01

12.5%

February

0

0

March

01

12.5%

April

0

0

May

0

0

June

01

12.5%

July

01

12.5%

August

02

25%

September

0

0

October

01

12.5%

November

01

12.5%

December

0

0

Total

08

100%

Of the 7 cases of electrocution; one (14.3 %) case was in the month of January, March, may, June, July, September and December each.

Table 5: Area wise distribution of cases

Area

No of Cases

% of cases

Rural Area

01

14.3 %

Urban Area

06

85.7 %

Total

07

100%

Of the 7 cases of electrocution; 6 (85.7 %) cases were from urban area while one (14.3 %) case was from rural area.

Table 6: Distribution of cases as per manner of death

Manner of death

No of Cases

% of cases

Accident

07

100%

Suicide

0

0

Homicide

0

0

Total

07

100%

Of the 7 cases of electrocution; all 7 (100%) cases were of accidental manner. There were no cases of suicidal and homicidal manner.

Table: 7 Distribution of cases as per time duration of survival

Time duration

No of Cases

% of cases

Died on spot or brought dead at casualty of hospital

06

85.7 %

Died delayed after being admitted in the hospital

01

14.3 %

Total

07

100%

Of the 7 cases of electrocution; 6 (85.7 %) cases died instantaneously on the spot of accident or were brought dead at casualty of hospital while one (14.3 %) case died delayed after being admitted in the hospital.

Discussion

Descriptions of the cases of electrocution deaths

Descriptions of all the cases of electrocution deaths are described in first section of results.

Age-wise and Gender wise distribution of cases

 [7] found men (86%) cases of electrocution. [8] Found majority of cases as males with male: female ratio 14.5:1. [9] Found males outnumbered the females with a male female ratio of 2.83:1. [10] Found Males (88.48%) outnumbered the females (11.51%). [11] Also found most cases male (85%) cases.

In our study majority of the cases were males. Males are comparatively more likely to test and look for any faults in electrical supply or electrical appliances at homes and work place in comparison to females. This increases their likelihood to have electrocution.

In our study 5 (71.4 %) cases were in the age group 20-39 years.

[7] Also found majority (63.6%) of cases in the age group 21–40 years. [10] Found the most affected age group was 21-30 years i.e (51.07%) followed by 31-40 years in (27.33% cases). [8] Also found majority of cases between 21-40 years.

While [9] found the highest number (26.1%) cases in the age group of 41-50 years.

Individuals in second to fourth decades are more likely involved at home or workplace to do electricity related works or defects & faults in electricity related works. Hence individuals in 21-39 years could be mostly involved in cases of electrocution.

Marital status of cases

In the present study; 4 cases were married, 2 cases was unmarried and 1 case was widower.

[12] found contrary findings to present study; most of the deceased had unknown marital status (86%) followed by married (7%) and unmarried of (7%) equal.

 Month of incidence of cases

In the present study 3 (42.9 %) cases were in rainy season of months from June to September.

[7], [13], [14] and [15] also found higher number of electrocution cases in rainy season.

Area wise distribution of cases

In the present study 6 (85.7 %) cases were from urban area.

[7] Found (61.36%) cases in urban area. Contrary findings were found by [12] wherein (97%) cases were from rural population.

Distribution of cases as per manner of death

In the present study all 7 (100%) cases were of accidental manner. [7] And [9] also found all the cases of electrocution of accidental manner.

Electrocution cases occurs mostly accidentally when a person handling electrical appliances gets electrocution due to defects in electrical appliances, faulty electricity wires, carelessness by the victim or moist body surfaces.

Suicide by electrocution is rare as a dying person tries to employ readily and easily available method of committing suicide and also a method which is comparatively painless. Poisoning and Hanging were the two most important methods employed for committing suicide [16].

Homicide by electrocution is also rare as accused needs to be well versed related to electrocution. Also the accused in rage may employ a method in which the victim surely dies and also dies instantaneously.  

Distribution of cases as per time duration of survival

In the present study (85.7 %) cases died instantaneously on the spot of accident or were brought dead at casualty of hospital while (14.3 %) case died delayed after being admitted in the hospital. [7] Found that 22.7% cases were alive and got treated in hospital before death whereas 77.2% of people were declared brought in dead condition.

Conclusion

Majority of the cases were males in the age group 20-49 years. Most of the cases were married. All the cases were of accidental manner. Most of the cases were of urban area and most cases died instantaneously on the spot of accident or were brought dead at casualty of hospital. Deaths due to electrocution are mostly avertable as most of the cases are accidental due to defects in electrical appliances, faulty electricity wires, and carelessness by the victim or moist body surfaces. Studies related to electrocution helps to highlight this. Necessary precautionary measures need to be taught to general population to avoid such electrocution mishaps.

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