An Autopsy Based Observational Study and Medico-Legal Aspects of Railway Accidents at a Tertiary Care Centre in Jaipur

Abstract

Background: Railway systems serve as critical socio-economic lifelines, but they carry a high burden of traumatic morbidity and mortality. Unlike road traffic accidents, railway fatalities involve immense mechanical force and kinetic energy, resulting in unique, highly mutilated trauma patterns that challenge forensic identification and manner-of-death determination. This study examines the epidemiological, socio-demographic, and injury patterns of fatal railway accidents in Jaipur, Rajasthan. Material and Methods: This was an autopsy-based, observational study conducted at the Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, SMS Medical College and Attached Hospitals, Jaipur. All railway-track-related fatalities brought for medicolegal post-mortem examination over the study period were included. Institutional Ethics Committee (IEC) clearance was secured, and data were compiled using a structured study proforma, meticulous external and internal injury charting, and a master chart overview. Results: predominant age group, gender distributions, ratio of accidental falls (e.g., footboard/roof riders) versus suicidal track crossings, and specific frequency of traumatic amputations, decapitations, or post-mortem injuries used to conceal homicides. Conclusion: Fatal railway injuries represent a massive public health challenge in developing regions due to encroached tracks, open fencing, and train overcrowding. Comprehensive forensic autopsy tracking provides vital epidemiological metrics necessary for implementing targeted structural barriers, improved railway signaling, and targeted socio-legal safety policies.

Keywords: Railway Accidents; Autopsy Findings; Medico-legal Aspects; Traumatic Amputations; Jaipur.