IIJFMT 3(1) 2005
A STUDY OF DEATHS DUE TO TERRORISM IN EASTERN NEPALDr. Manoj Kumar*,
Dr. Sudhansu S. Khanal**,
Dr. B. N. Yadav***,
Dr. Shivendra Jha****,
Dillu Ram Kandel*****,
Foulisa Pyrbot*****,
Moumita Ghosh*****
*Asst. Prof., Dept of Forensic Medicine, BPKIHS, Dharan,
E-mail- drmanojpathak@sify.com
drmanojpathak@gmail.com
INTRODUCTION
Terrorism is defined as unlawful use or threatened use of force or violence by a person or an-organized group against people or property with the intention of intimidating or coercing societies or governments often for ideological or political reason.’ At present terrorism is biggest threat to the world and peaceful Himalayan Kingdom of
MATERIAL & METHODS
Present study is a retrospective study done with the help of register file and autopsy report record of department of Forensic medicine, BPKIHS, Dharan,
OBSERVATIONS & RESULTS
Majority of victims were men (97%) belonging to age group 13-35yrs(71%)[Table -1].
Females were rarely involved (3%)[Tab.-2].
Sun sari is the district where majority of attacks took place (62%), Dhankuta comes second to Sun sari [Tab.-3].
Army/police were victim in most of cases (92%) while Maoists and civilians were rarely (8%) involved [Tab.-4].
Firearms were used as weapons in most of the cases (94%), amongst almost equal frequency of gun and bombs were seen. Sharp weapons were used rarely (6%)[Tab.-5].
Syncope was the most common mode of death (71%) followed by coma (20%)[Tab.-6]
In most of the cases, there was instant death (91%) while in very less cases (8%) survival was up to days [Table -7].
Most commonly involved region was chest (46%) followed by equal involvement of Head and Neck and abdomen (each 34%) [Tab.-8].
Instant death occurred in almost all cases in gun shot injury (90%) and in bomb blast injury (88%). In sharp weapon injury instant death occurred in 50% cases [Tab.-9].
Gun and bombs killed Army/ police almost equally (51% and 44% respectively) while Maoists were killed only by gun [Tab.-10].
DISCUSSION
During the period 2003-2004, 35 people have been reported to be killed owing to terrorist activity. This poses a threat to the country. Victims mainly belong to the army/ police with a few civilians. The Maoists are usually not brought to the hospital. Their own colleagues bury them. Therefore this might be the reason for less availability of Maoist victims as compared to army/police.
It is seen that in our community male population are more commonly employed in army/police therefore adult segment of male were involved exclusively (97%). Most of them belonged to the age group 13-35 (71%) which is the main productive age group.
Majority of the victims faced instantaneous death (91%). The reason behind such occurrence lies due to the type of weapons used. Firearms were used in almost all cases. The frequency of use of bomb and gun were in almost equal proportion. The preference of firearm over conventional sharp weapon were due to their effectively i.e. surety of death. Deep puncture wound due to projectile bullets caused massive injury and damage to the vital organ. Similarly bombing caused diffuse destruction of the body and further harm. Our study shows instantaneous death were most in gun shot injury than bomb blasts. The reason behind may be due to the fact that bombing caused severe injury and instant death only if the victim was a t vicinity of bombing site.
The regions involved were mainly chest (46%), Head and Neck (34%) and Abdomen (34%) with rare involvement of limbs. This preference might be for the effectively of injury i. e. surety of death due to situation of vital organs in those regions.
It has also been found in study that army/police use guns only while Maoists, they use guns as well as bombs in equal proportion and this suggest they want mass destruction and are also least concerned about civilians lives.
CONCLUSION
Our study revealed that there is increased incidence of terrorist of activities these days, as 35 victims out of 243 cases reported in the mortuary of the department of Forensic medicine, BPKIHS, Dharan were as a result of terrorism during yr 2003/’04. This is an alarming and unfortunate picture of present situation in the country. There is hardly any other single disease, which has such a high mortality rate (15%), as that of terrorism. The certainty of death in the terrorist attack was due to use of modern and advance firearm weapons and involvement of regions containing vital organs.
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Table-1: Distribution of Age of the victims
0-12 |
13-25 |
26-35 |
36-50 |
>50 |
Not known |
total |
1(3%) |
12(34%) |
13(37%) |
2(6%) |
0(0%) |
7 (20%) |
35(100%) |
Table –2: Distribution of Sex of victims
Male |
Female |
Total |
34(97%) |
1(3%) |
35 (100%) |
Table-3: Place of occurrence of crime
Dhankuta |
Sunsari |
Bhojpur |
Shankuwasava |
Siraha |
Jhapa |
Morang |
Udaypur |
Mahottari |
Terathum |
Total |
||
4 (11%) |
22 (62%) |
2 (6%)) |
1 (3%) |
1 (3%) |
1 (3%) |
1 (3%) |
1 (3%) |
1 (3%) |
1 (3%) |
35 (100%) |
||
Table-4: Affiliations of Persons involved
Army/ Police |
Maoist |
Civil |
Total |
32 (91%) |
1 (3%) |
2 (6%) |
35 (100%) |
Table-5: Weapon Used
Gun |
Bomb |
Sharp Weapon |
Total |
17 (48%) |
16 (45.5%) |
2 (6%) |
35 (100%) |
Table-6: Mode of death
Coma |
Syncope |
Coma and Syncope |
Total |
7(20%) |
25(71%) |
3(8%) |
35(100%) |
Table-7: Survival Period
Instant death |
Within hours |
Days to weeks |
Total |
32(91%) |
0(0%) |
3(8%) |
35(100%) |
Table-8: Injury and region involved
Head and Neck |
Chest |
Abdomen |
Upper limb |
Lower limb |
Total |
12(34%) |
16(46%) |
12(34%) |
1(3%) |
1(3%) |
35(100%) |
Table-9: Type of Weapon and Period of Survival
Instant death |
With in hours |
Days to weeks |
Total |
|
Gun |
15(90%) |
0% |
2(10%) |
100% |
Bomb |
14(88%) |
0% |
2(12%) |
100% |
Sharp weapon |
1(50%) |
0% |
1(50%) |
100% |
Table-10: Person Dead and Weapon Used
Gun |
Bomb |
Sharp weapon |
Total |
|
Army / Police |
16(51%) |
15(44%) |
1(5%) |
100% |
Maoist |
1(100%) |
0% |
0% |
100% |
Civil |
0% |
2(100%) |
0% |
100% |