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CUSTODIAL DEATH GOWTHAM M II MBBS 141

Custodial death

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CUSTODIAL DEATH

GOWTHAM MII MBBS

141

A death in custody is a death of a person in the custody of the police, prison service or other authorities.

CUSTODIAL DEATH

deaths resulting from police or prison officers attempting to detain a criminal or a person escaping or attempting to escape from police custody or prison.

TRAUMATIC ASPHYXIA ARM LOCK OR NECK HOLDS BLUNT INJURY ALCOHOL SUICIDE NATURAL CAUSE OF DEATH

When several policemen fall upon a resisting offender to overpower him

Traumatic asphyxia:

Arm-locks or neck holds: Applied by policeofficers to resisting persons

are other causesof deaths during arrest. The arm lock is applied either from behind or

with the head of the offender tucked under the police officer’s arm against the waist.

CUSTODIAL DEATH

compression of the front and sides of the neck and death can occur .

either from reflex cardiac arrest or cerebral ischemia during carotid compression or asphyxia from airway obstruction, though the latter is unlikely to be the sole mechanism.

Blunt injury

may occur from the use of fist, arm or leg and by use of a weapon such as a truncheon, riot stick or pistol butt.

Any type of blunt injury may be received. Head injuries may occur during a scuffle from falls either against the ground, or against a wall or other obstruction.

CUSTODIAL DEATH

is a frequent cause of death in custody and also it is major factor in provoking aggression and violent resistance. When blood alcohol levels rise to above

350mg/100mL there is an increasing risk of coma and central respiratory depression.

At lower blood alcohol levels there is still the risk of aspiration of vomitus and choking on gastric contents.

At autopsy, this aspiration should be distinguished from the common agonal phenomenon.

ALCOHOL

in custody are quite common. Mostpolice forces deprive the prisoner of any objectsthat could be used to hang himself in the cells such as belts, braces, cord or even

bootlaces.In addition, the police cell may be specificallydesigned to avoid any convenient suspensionpoints, such as bars, hooks, internal door handles.

SUICIDES

Deaths may occur from purely natural causes,usually of cardiovascular origin and no objectiveproof can be provided when the emotional andphysical upset of being arrested an confinement may have affected the blood pressure and heart rate sufficiently, by an adrenaline response, to have precipitated an acute cardiaccrisis in the presence of severe preexistingdisease

CUSTODIAL DEATH

All deaths in custody should be examined with care to ensure that the guardians are cleared of any suspicion of ill-treatment.

The torture and custodial deaths are confirmed by circumstantial and corroborative evidence.

The victim is usually in detention in or some

form of custody.

Investigations of Torture and CustodialDeaths

Such types of death are usually involved withthe non-cooperating attitude of the authorities that are hostile to impartial injury.

The cases are handed over to the responsible authorities such as Red cross, Amnesty International, Physicians for human rights.

.There is usually delay in the process before a victim is being brought for examination, the injuries may have healed and body may have decomposed. Body is sometimes disposed off early.

Investigations of Torture and CustodialDeaths

The causes of deaths in torture or custodialdeaths may be sepsis, haemorrhage, internalorgan injury and even sheer exhaustion.

Investigations of Torture and CustodialDeaths