Abstract
Homicide-suicide is a violent 2-stage event in which an individual commits homicide and subsequently suicide. We aimed at identifying commonly occurring factors in Homicide-suicide to provide insight into its prevention. The study consisted of Homicide-Suicide cases in Hyderabad from 01.08.2009 to 31.07.2011 with 86% filicide-suicide and 14% intimate partner homicide-suicide incidents. There were an equal number of male and female perpetrators (50%), while maximum perpetrators belonged to the second decade of life (43%). Mode of death of victims was either Strangulation or drowning (28.5% each) and perpetrators was Hanging (58%). Most of the perpetrators were ironically educated graduates (43%) and employed. Majority of cases had history of intimate partner conflicts (67%). Contributing factors were evidently related to socioeconomic causes, interpersonal relationship disappointments and less frequently psychiatric disorders. Identification of the link between family conflicts and homicide-suicide incidents and collaboration between legal and mental health systems might prevent these incidents.
