Mysterious death of student in hostel: A case report and its medico -legal aspect

Abstract

Smothering is a form of asphyxia, caused by either closing or blocking the external respiratory orifices i.e. mouth and nose. Deaths from smothering may or may not be accompanied by physical signs of evidence during autopsy depending upon the manner or circumstances making the autopsy surgeon’s task a daunting challenge. A strangulation is a form of violent asphyxia death caused by constriction of air passage at the neck by means of ligature or by any means other than suspension of the body. Suicide by strangulation is rare. In the absence of signs of violence and marks of a struggle, the task becomes more difficult. Here we report one such case of a student staying in a hostel who died in a mysterious circumstance, whose dead body was found lying in a car outside the hostel premises and the manner concluded after studying the injuries tediously in summation with the detailed history of the case and FSL report of visceral chemical analysis, ligature material report and report of the scene of incidence.