UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE OF LEGAL STUDIES,

PANJAB UNIVERSITY

Project report on: “Definition, meaning and difference between

suicidal, homicidal and accidental wounds”.

Submitted To: Submitted By:

Dr. Ajay Ranga Aakriti Sharma

167/18

Section-C

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to express my special thanks of gratitude to my teacher Dr Ajay Ranga

as well as to our Director Professor Rajinder Kaur who gave me this golden
opportunity to do this wonderful project on the topic “Definition, meaning and
difference between suicidal, homicidal and accidental wounds” which helped in
doing a lot of research and I am really thankful to them.

Secondly, I would like to thank my parents and my friends who helped me a lot in
finalizing this project within the limited time frame.

Aakriti Sharma

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INTRODUCTION:

WOUND:

Wounds can be broadly classified as a “disruption of the continuity of tissues

produced by external mechanical force”. It is the forcible break in the continuity of
any tissue of body by mechanical force. Wounds which are present over the body
to defend oneself from an assault are called defence wounds.

INJURY:

Injury is as a result of an accident, fighting over when is hurt while doing

something. It can be defined as a damage inflicted to the body due to application of
external force. For example injury while playing or injuries in a bomb blast. The
word “injury” also has specific legal connotations as given in section 44 of the
IPC. Section 44 of IPC has defined an injury as: “Any harm caused illegally to a
person in body, mind, reputation or property”. This definition of injury has a
wider meaning. It has not only included bodily harm but also incorporated mental
suffering and harm caused to reputation or property. Inclusion of the term “illegal”
under section 44 IPC implies that some injuries can be legally inflicted. For
example when a surgeon gives incision during operation with patient’s consent, the
incised wound is not considered illegally injury, as defined under section 44 of the
IPC.

LEGAL CLASSIFICATION OF WOUNDS:

 Simple: one which is neither extensive nor serious and which heals rapidly
without leaving any permanent disfigurement or deformity.
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  Grievous: on which are covered under section 320 of IPC- emasculation,
permanent privation of the sight or either eye, ear, privation of any joint,
permanent impairing of the powers of any member or joint, permanent
disfigurement of head or face, fracture or dislocation of a bone or tooth, any
hurt which endangers life or which causes the sufferer during the space of 20
days in severe bodily pain or unable to follow his ordinary pursuits.
 Fatal: extensive and implicate important structures or organs so that they
prove fatal.

Most of these injuries are homicidal and usually inflicted on the exposed portion of
the body like the head, face, neck, shoulders and extremities. Accidental injuries
lacerate the soft tissues extensively or amputate parts of the body.

CLASSIFICATION OF INJURIES:

The injury based upon the manner of infliction i.e. the injury caused or inflicted on
the person can be suicidal, homicidal and accidental in nature. The medical
examiner should be cautious while giving opinion regarding the manner in which
the injury was inflicted. Thus, on the basis of manner of infliction, the injuries may
be classified as:

 Suicidal/ Self-inflicted injuries:

Suicidal injuries are usually present on accessible part of the body such as front
of neck, groin, and chest or back of legs. Presence of hesitation cute favors
suicidal manner of injuries. Hesitation cuts or trial wounds are multiple, small
and superficial cuts seen at the beginning of the incised wound. Hesitation cute

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 are suggestive of hesitation of the person self-inflicting the injuries while
gaining courage to make a final decisive cut. Suicidal lacerations are rarely seen
as they are painful to produce. Presence of suicide note also suggests the
manner of infliction of the injuries as suicidal. Thus, suicide is the act of
causing one’s own death.

 Homicidal injuries
Homicidal injuries refer to one human killing another. In many cases, homicide
can be punished by life in prison or even capital punishment (death penalty).
The homicide crime scene, is without a doubt, the most important crime scene
that a police officer or an investigator will be called upon to respond. Homicidal
injuries are often deep wounds, may be present on non-accessible part of the
body. These injuries are often, lacerated wound, incised wound or stab wound.
Homicidal incised wounds are commonly present on the head, neck or the
trunk. Incised wounds on nose, ears and genitals are usually homicidal, caused
by a jilted lover, husband or wife due to sexual jealousy. Stab wounds are most
often located on the chest and the neck. Stab wound of the chest are most
commonly directed at angle from left-to-right and from above downwards. The
weapon of offence is usually missing at the scene of crime, since the assailant
usually does not leave the weapon at the scene of crime. Evidence of struggle,
torn clothes, missing buttons, disarranged room etc. suggests some homicidal
nature of injuries.
Because of the nature of the crime, the answer to “what has occurred?” can only
be determined after a careful and intelligent examination of the crime scene and
after the professional and medical evidence gathered by the criminal
investigator.

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 It can be divided into many overlapping legal categories, depending on the
circumstance of the death.
 Murder
 Manslaughter
 Justifiable homicide
 Killing in war
 Euthanasia and
 Capital punishment

These bits and pieces may be in the form of:

1. Trace evidence found at the scene

2. Statements taken from the suspect
3. Direct eyewitness accounts
4. Autopsy results

HOMICIDE at the Crime Scene: the point where the body is originally found. Any
item can and may constitute physical evidence; therefore, it is imperative that
nothing be touched or moved at the scene before the arrival of the investigators.

If the need arises that something at the scene may be immediately secured or
removed before it is destroyed or lost, the officer handling the evidence must
document its location, appearance, condition and any other feature that might
affect the investigation.

The officer must be sure to inform the homicide detective of the item’s original
position so that it does not lose its evidentiary value.

 Accidental injuries:

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Accidental injuries are the unintentional injuries which are unforeseen and
occur as chance outcome of any voluntary act. These type of injuries may occur
due to road traffic accidents, false, or occupational accidents. Depending upon
the circumstances of the accident, various types of mechanical injuries may be
present on the injured person. Accidental stab wounds are rare. They may occur
as a result of falling against any sharp and projecting object, like knife, broken
glass etc. Accidental incised wounds are commonly seen over the hands. These
include:

 Falls
 Cuts
 Burns and scales
 Bites and stings
 Poisoning
 Inhalation of foreign bodies
 Road traffic accidents
 Drowning
 Non accidental injuries like child abuse or sexual abuse

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Difference between Homicidal, Suicidal and Accidental wounds:-

Basis Homicidal wounds Suicidal wounds Accidental

wounds
Situation and Clothes are damaged, Usually incised, Occurs due to
character room is disturbed punctured, or gunshot, the outcome
clothes are not of an accident
damaged, in closed
room
Number May be multiple in Usually single shot or Can be both,
any direction multiple linear and depending
parallel upon the
intensity of
the accident
Direction and Deep and the Slightly angle The direction
extent beginning and upwards, superficial at and extent of
superficial at the end the beginning and the wound
deep at the end varies from
case to case,
depending
upon the
accident
Location Anywhere Usually on front, Can be
especially on chest, anywhere
throat, wrist or temple

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Weapon Usually absent Clenched in hands Can be
location present as
well as absent
History Circumstantial Circumstantial Circumstantial
Surrounding Struggle Suicide note Depends upon
evidence the nature of
the accident
Defensive cuts Present Not likely May be
Hesitant or Not present Present Not present
tentative cuts

Wound analysis- differentiating suicide from homicide

 Where on the body the injury occurred: A shot to the side of the head, in
the mouth, or to the front of the chest is usually suicide. Wounds located
anywhere else are most likely homicide.
 Distance of gun from the body: Most suicide shots are at contact or near
contact range, causing a burn ark around the wound and leaving gunpowder
residue (which can be wiped off). At contact range, and if the gun is fired
just above a bone, such as the skull or the sternum, a star like wound is
produced.
 Angle of the shot: Most suicide shots are angled slightly upwards.
 Number of shots fired: After one shot, even if a suicide victim isn’t dead,
he would likely be unconscious or physically unable to fire a second time.
Multiple shots usually indicate homicide.

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  Presence of gunpowder residue on the victim’s hand: If a man shot
himself, there would be gunpowder residue from unburned carbon on the
hand that fired the gun.
 Shots through clothing: A suicide victim will rarely shoot through
clothing. If he shoots himself in the chest, which is unusual, he will open his
shirt to expose the skin. Shots through clothing suggest homicide.
 History, a note, and other factors: if the victim left a suicide note, or was
known to have personal problems, or if there was evidence of drug use of
drinking, suicide is likely.
 Evidence of struggle: If there are scratches, cuts, bruises, homicide is
likely.

Differentiating features:

 Suicidal injury: the following features are compatible with suicide attempt-
 Hesitation cut present
 Long incised wound from left to right of the neck illustrating the
determination of suicide
 Shallow wound pointing towards careful self-inflicted wound
 Homicidal injury: the following are the characteristic features of homicidal
injuries-
 Deep incised wound showing that moderate force was applied
 Tailing is towards the left side of the wound indicating that initial thrust
was on the right side

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 CASE STUDY

o A 51-year old man was found dead in his car on the driving seat at a busy
roadway around 1:30 p.m.
o He had been a right handed person. No weapon had been recovered from the
vehicle or at the scene. On examination, there was lot of blood and blood
stains in the vehicle including the dashboard and the windscreen.
o The initial post-mortem investigation revealed no suspect.
o A deep, obliquely placed, long incised neck injury was found on the front
side of the neck. The left end of the injury started below the ear at upper
third of the neck and deepened gradually with severance of the left carotid
artery.
o The suspect was the father of the deceased’s gay partner. The suspect and
his son got into the deceased’s car to request him to terminate this
relationship.
o The suspect had been in the rear seat right behind the deceased and the son
had been the front seat passenger. Deceased disagreed to terminate the
relationship, father of the gay partner had cut the throat of the deceased
using a knife and both had escaped. The suspect was a right handed person.

FORENSIC DEDUCTIONS

 Cut throats can be homicidal, suicidal or accidental. Homicidal cut-

throats are a well-recognized method of killing.

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 Suicidal cur throats are less commonly reported and accidental cut-
throats are rare.
 Accidental cut throats exceptionally rare. They are usually seen only
when a victim goes through a sheet of glass or is struck in the neck by
a sharp-edged missile or flying piece of glass.
 The suicidal cut throat wound is similar to the homicidal cut throat
from behind. The wound usually begins higher on the neck on the side
opposite to where it terminates. Since the deceased was a right
handed person, the suicide cut throat typically started from upper
third of the left side of the neck and be ended at a point lower than
the origin on the right side.
 Suicidal cut throats are usually, but not always, accompanied by
hesitation marks.
 Homicidal cut throats can be produced in two different ways;
depending upon whether they are produced from the back or the front.
 Of those two methods, cutting a person’s throat from behind is the
most common. The head is pulled back, and the knife is then drawn
across it. The knife is drawn across the neck, from left to the right by a
right-handed assailant and from right to left by a left-handed
individual. The wound inflicted deepening at the beginning and then
tails off at the opposite side of the neck.

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 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Books referred:

1. Forensic Science for Law Students and Law Professionals by Dr. (Prof.)
V.P. Singh
2. Textbook of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology Principles and Practice,
5th edition by Krishan Vij

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