Bullet Beyond Borders: When Patterns of Violence Transcend Boundaries – The Rayalaseema Phenomenon in Western U.P

Abstract

Introduction: Fabricated firearm injuries are intentionally created wounds that are made to look like gunshot injuries. They
are usually superficial, occur on easily reachable parts of the body, and are produced to support a false story or mislead a
medicolegal investigation.
Case report: An adult male presented to the emergency department of a tertiary care hospital with an injury over the chest.
According to the history provided, he alleged that the injury had been caused by a firearm projectile fired by a known individual.
However, upon detailed clinical, radiological, and medicolegal evaluation, the injury was found to be artificially created and
consistent with a fabricated firearm wound.
Conclusion: In the present case, it was concluded that the injury over the chest of the patient was an artificially created fabricated
wound. The method used for fabrication was similar to the pattern historically described in the Rayalaseema region of Andhra
Pradesh, where such fabricated firearm injuries have been reported more commonly in medicolegal practice.