Abstract

Objectives: To study the pattern and characteristics of medicolegal cases at the rural health care facilities.

Study Design: Cross-Sectional.

Place & Duration of Study: Tehsil Headquarter Hospitals (THQs) & Rural Health Centre (RHC) District Kasur from 1^st July 2018 to 1^st July 2019.

Methodology: One hundred forty nine medicolegal cases were collected, after perusal of injury statement, police docket and brief history reflected in medicolegal certificates. The observations recorded in predesigned Performa with an emphasis on age of subjects, region of body, number of injuries, weapon involved, type of injury and injury declared or not declared according to Q&D.

Results: The highly frequent age group was 21-30 (32% male and females). The most frequent weapon of offence was the blunt (79%). Majority of the cases (38%) were observed having only one injury. The most common regions of the body having injuries in males were the fingers and hands, while head majorly involved in females’ cases. According to Q&D mostly injuries were declared while some of them remained KUO.

Conclusion: Most of the medicolegal cases involved the male population and caused by blunt weapon, while females appeared to be less inclined to the bodily injuries in medicolegal cases. The cases of unnatural sexual acts with males were having a serious prevalence in rural areas. The basic need is to timely investigate and to prevent linger on cases and collaboration with law enforcing agencies are urgently required to reduce the potentiality of the crimes, especially in rural areas.