Trends of Poisoning in a Tertiary Care Center of Haryana: An Autopsy-based Retrospective Study

Poisoning is a significant public health and medicolegal problem in developing countries including India. A retrospective observational study was conducted on fatal poisoning cases subjected to medicolegal autopsy between 1 January 2023 and 31 December 2023 at a tertiary care center in Haryana. Demographic profile, manner of poisoning, seasonal and diurnal variation, and toxicological (FSL) findings were analyzed from police inquest papers, hospital records, post-mortem findings, and FSL reports. Of 1,461 autopsies performed during the study period, 216 deaths were attributed to poisoning. Males constituted 164 (76.27%) cases. Most victims belonged to joint families (168; 77.77%). Maximum deaths occurred in the 30–39 years age group (57; 26.39%) and 118 (54.42%) cases were from rural areas. Suicidal poisoning was predominant (174; 80.93%), followed by accidental (41; 18.60%) and homicidal (1; 0.45%). Monsoon season recorded the highest burden (94; 43.52%) and night-time was the commonest period (62; 37.80%). Organophosphorus compounds were the most frequently detected poisons (168; 77.77%), followed by others (34; 15.74%) and aluminum phosphide (8; 3.70%). Fatal poisoning deaths in Haryana predominantly involved young adult males from rural backgrounds with suicidal ingestion of agricultural pesticides. Strengthening toxicology services and preventive strategies is recommended.