Electrocution deaths reported in South Delhi, India: A retrospective analysis of 16 years of data from 2002 to 2017

Abstract

This study is a retrospective analysis of 428 cases of electrocution deaths in the region of South Delhi, India, which were autopsied at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, during the 16-year period 2002–2017. The cases were analysed with regard to the age and sex of the victim, season of the year, site of the body, time of day, place of occurrence and presence of entry and exit wounds on the body. The cases represented approximately 1.8% of all autopsy cases during the period. The main findings of the study showed that the majority of cases involved adult males at home during the monsoon season, with a low-voltage electrical supply affecting the upper extremities. This study also confirms that not all cases of electrocution show electrocution marks. Comparison with an older study undertaken within the same population showed no difference in the pattern of cases, apart from a decreasing male-female ratio.