Pattern of fabricated gunshot wounds- A hospital based cross-sectional study

Abstract

A fabricated firearm injury refers to a self-inflicted superficial injury and if someone has fabricated a gunshot injury, it is important to assess the presentation and the intent behind it. This prospective hospital based study was carried out on all patients who presented to Trauma center of Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh with alleged fabricated gunshot injuries over a span of 4 years i.e., from October 2018 to September 2022. In this study, we found that most of the patients were from age groups 19-30 years (30.2%). Males outnumbered the females. 42 cases (79.2%) were reported from rural background while majority of the cases i.e. 17 cases (32.1%) were unemployed.The collaborative efforts of all the investigating agencies and medical professionals can help to prevent the fabrication of injuries, which will not only decrease needless court cases but also eliminate unwanted harassment of innocent people.