Analysis of the Pattern of Firearm Injuries in Medico-Legal Autopsy Cases Conducted at a Tertiary Care Centre in the Malwa Region of Punjab

Abstract

Firearm-related injuries constitute a major medico-legal and public health challenge in India, where both licensed and unlicensed
weapons contribute significantly to violent deaths. Punjab reports a disproportionately high number of firearm fatalities due
to sociocultural, geopolitical, and economic factors. Understanding the characteristics of fatal firearm injuries is essential for
accurate forensic interpretation, effective legal adjudication, and the development of preventive public health strategies.
This autopsy-based descriptive study was carried out at Guru Gobind Singh Medical College & Hospital, Faridkot, Punjab,
over 18 months. About 50 consecutive deceased individuals with alleged firearm injuries were examined. Detailed information
regarding socio-demographic characteristics, circumstances surrounding the incident, clothing examination, wound features,
and internal autopsy findings was documented and analysed quantitatively.
A total of 94% of the bodies were identified, and males constituted 86% of the cases. The most affected age groups were 21
to 30 years (30%) and 31 to 40 years (32%). Rural residents accounted for 64% of cases, with farmers/zamindars forming
the largest occupational category (36%). Homicide was the predominant alleged manner of death (64%), followed by suicide
(30%) and accident (6%). Blood staining was present on the clothing in nearly all cases (96%), with tears (76%), foreign bodies
(56%), and blackening (48%) also frequently observed. Most victims (86%) were brought dead, highlighting the lethality and
rapid fatality of firearm injuries.
The study concludes that firearm deaths in Faridkot predominantly affect young rural men of productive age, are largely
homicidal, and frequently involve close-range injuries. The findings underscore the need for stricter regulation of illegal weapons,
improved forensic documentation standards, and enhanced trauma response systems in rural Punjab. This study contributes
region-specific forensic evidence that may support both medico-legal investigation and policy formulation.