174. Police to inquire and report on suicide, etc

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(1) The officer in charge of a police station or some other police officer specially empowered by the State Government in that behalf, on receiving information that a person-

(a) has committed suicide, or

(b) has been killed by another, or by an animal, or by machinery, or by an accident, or

(c) has died under circumstances raising a reasonable suspicion that some other person has committed an offence. shall immediately give intimation thereof to the nearest Magistrate empowered to hold inquests, and, unless otherwise directed by any rule prescribed by the State Government, or by any general or special order of the District or Sub-Divisional Magistrate, shall proceed to the place where the body of such deceased person is, and there, in the presence of two or more respectable inhabitants of the neighbourhood, shall make an investigations, and draw up a report of the apparent cause of death, describing such wounds, fractures, bruises and other marks of injury as may be found on the body, and stating in what manner, or by wat weapon or instrument (if any), such marks appear to have been inflicted.

(2) The report shall be signed by such police officer and other persons, or by so many of them as occur therein, and shall be forthwith forwarded to the District Magistrate or the Sub-Divisional Magistrate.

(3) When there is any doubt regarding the cause of death, when for any other reason the police officer considers it expedient so, to do he shall, subject to such rules as the State Government may prescribe in the behalf, forward the body, with a view to its being examine to the nearest Civil Surgeon, or other qualified medical man a pointed in this behalf by the State Government if, the state of the weath and the distance admit of its being so forwarded without risk of such putrefaction on the road as would render such examination useless.

(4) In the Presidencies of Fort St. George and Bombay, investigations under this section may be made by the head of the village, who shall then report the result to the nearest Magistrate authorised to hold inquests.

(5) The following Magistrates are empowered to hold inquests, namely, any District Magistrate, Sub-Divisional Magistrate or Magistrate of the first class, and any Magistrate, specially empowered in this behalf by the State Government or the District Magistrate. ---