4. Unclaimed dead bodies in hospitals, prisons and public places how to be deal with.-

(1) If a person dies in a hospital or in a prison and his body is not claimed by any of his near relatives within such time as may be prescribed, the authority in charge of such hospital or prison shall, with the least practicable delay, report the fact to the authorized officer, and the said officer shall take possession of the unclaimed body and except in the case referred to in sub-sections (3) and (4), hand it over to the authority in charge of a teaching medical institution, if it is required by that authority, for the purpose of conducting anatomical examination and dissection : Provided that the authority in chare of such hospital or prison shall while reporting the fact to the authorised officer give intimation to the nearest religious or public institution, if any, belonging to the religion of the deceased and if such institution claims the dead body within the prescribed time it shall be handed over to that institution. (2) If a person dies in any public place in an area in which he had no permanent place of residence and the body of that person is not claimed by any of his near relatives within such time as may be prescribed, the authorized officer shall take possession of the unclaimed body and except in the case referred to in sub-sections (3) and (4) hand it over to the authority in charge of a teaching medical institution, if it is required by that authority, for the purpose specified in sub-section (1). (3) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-sections (1) and (2), the authorized officer shall- (a) when a near relative of the deceased person is known to be alive and he has failed to claim the body within the prescribed time for reasons beyond his control, or (b) when the deceased person has prior to his death declared that his body shall not be subject to anatomical examination or dissection or both, hand over the dead body to such religious or public institution belonging to the religion of the deceased subject to such conditions as may be prescribed (4) When there is any doubt regarding the cause of death or when for any reason the authorized officer considers it expendient so to do, he shall forward the unclaimed body to the police officer referred to in section 174 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898. (5) Where any unclaimed body taken possession of by the authorized officer under this section is not required by the authority in charge of a teaching medical institution for the purpose specified in sub-section (1), it shall be disposed of in such manner as may be prescribed.