1. Rectal injuries are becoming a major cause of death in India and can result from penetrating or blunt trauma. 2. The rectum has distinct anatomical regions and injuries are classified based on their depth and circumference according to the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma scale. 3. Treatment depends on whether the injury is intraperitoneal or extraperitoneal and may involve fecal diversion, distal washout, drainage, debridement, and repair or reconstruction of damaged sphincters. Accurate diagnosis and classification is important to guide appropriate surgical management of rectal injuries.