Unclaimed dead bodies to be used for anatomical teaching.

(1) Where a person, under treatment in a hospital dies of natural death in such hospital and his body is unclaimed, the authority in-charge of such hospital shall, with the least practicable delay report the fact to the authorised officer and such officer shall then hand over, in the manner as may be prescribed, the unclaimed body to the authority in-charge of an approved institution for the purpose of conducting anatomical dissection and teaching. (2) Where a person dies of a natural death, in any public place or at his residence other than, a hospital: and his body is unclaimed, the authorised officer shall take possession of such unclaimed body and shall hand it over, in the manner as may be prescribed, to the authority in-charge of an approved institution for the purpose specified in sub-section (1). (3) (i) Where there is any doubt as to the natural death or when for any other reason the authorised officer considers it expedient so to do he shall forward the unclaimed body to a police officer referred to in section 174 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973. (ii) If the death appears to be natural death to the police inquest the unclaimed body may be handed over to the Anatomy Department'of the approved institute without performing post-mortem, Whether the unclaimed body is suitable for embalming and can be used for anatomical dissection and teaching purpose shall be decided by a senior officer of the Anatomy Department.