Unclaimed dead bodies to be used for therapeutic purpose or anatomical examination.

5. Unclaimed dead bodies to be used for 1[therapeutic purpose or] anatomical examination.- (1) Where a person under treatment in a hospital whether established by or vesting in, or maintained by the 2[State] Government or any local authority, dies in such hospital and his body is unclaimed, the authorities 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 the unclaimed body, to the authorities in charge of an approved institution 3[for any therapeutic purpose or] 4[for the purposes of medical education or research including] anatomical examination and dissection.

1. (2) Where a person dies at a hospital other than a hospital referred to in sub-section (1) or in a prison and his body is unclaimed, the authorities in charge of such hospital or prison shall with the least practicable delay report the fact to the authorised officer, and the said officer shall hand over the unclaimed body to the authorities in charge of an approved institution for the purpose specified in sub-section (1).
2. (3) Where a person having no permanent place of residence in the area where his death has taken place dies in any public place in such area and his body in unclaimed, the authorised officer shall take possession of the body and shall hand it over to the authorities in charge of an approved institution for the purpose specified in sub-section (1). 5[(4) Where there is any doubt regarding the cause of 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, 1898 (V of 1898).]6