A Cut Throat Associated With Ligature Strangulation in Victim of Murder

Hanging is one of the most common method opted for committing suicide in India. The presence of ligature mark and its characteristics like its position, direction and appearance over the neck are the most significant criteria to deal with in cases of asphyxial deaths, either due to hanging or strangulation. Various authors have reported controversies regarding the cause of death in the cases of hanging and strangulation. It has been reported in literature that determined person may commit suicide by cutting his throat first and finally hang himself to produce the death while on the contrary; it is rare to observe it in cases of homicide, where an accuse will first cut the throat of the victim and then he will strangulate him. One such rare case was brought to us for the autopsy examination with an alleged history of hanging in which the ligature mark and cut throat injury both were present over the neck. The police presumed that the injuries were sustained due to slipping of ligature during suspension, while after autopsy it was concluded a homicidal cut throat followed by ligature strangulation. This case represents a rare and unexpected presence of two different mechanisms of homicide in one.