Section 25 in The Juvenile Justice (Punjab) Rules, 1987
25. Emergencies.
(1)Superintendent shall take the following measures to prevent and control emergency situations, namely:-(a)adequate security measures and periodical inspection thereof;(b)proper maintenance of buildings and premises;(c)proper custody of tools and equipment;(d)prompt, firm and considerate handling of all discipline problems;(e)attending to care and welfare requirements of children;(f)system of good discipline;(g)careful handling of plant and equipment;(h)accident-preventive measures;(i)fire-preventing measures;(j)fire-fighting equipment at all vulnerable points;(k)good environmental and institutional sanitation and hygiene;(l)proper procedure of quarantining of newly admitted juveniles;(m)segregation of juvenile suffering from contagious diseases;(n)proper storage and inspection of articles of foodstuffs;(o)observance of the required minimum standards in kitchen operations, service of food and eatables;(p)stand-by arrangements for water storage, power plant, emergency lighting etc., and(q)periodical inspection of plant equipment, emergency operation etc.(2)In the event of an escape, the action to be taken is as follows, namely:-(a)the Superintendent shall immediately send the guards in search of the juvenile at places like railway stations, bus stand, the juvenile's home and other places where the juvenile is likely to go;(b)the parents or guardians shall be informed immediately about such escape;(c)a report shall be sent to the Police Station along with the detailed description of the juvenile, with identification marks and a photograph, with a copy to the authorities concerned with the placement of the juvenile in the institution; and(d)the Superintendent shall hold an enquiry about each escape and send his report to the court and the Chief Inspector.(3)On the occurrence of any case of death or suicide the procedure to be adopted is as under namely :-(a)If a juvenile dies within 24 hours of his admission to the institution, an inquest and post-mortem examination shall be held.(b)Whenever a sudden or violent death or death from suicide or accident takes place, immediate notice shall be sent to the Superintendent and the Medical Officer, and the juvenile shall, if life be extinct, be left in the position in which it was found, pending inspection by the officers concerned. In case a juvenile dies due to causes other than natural causes or if the cause of death is not known or if the death has occurred due to suicide or violence or accident or whenever there is any doubt or complaint or question concerning the cause of death of any juvenile, the Superintendent shall inform the officer incharge of the Police Station having jurisdiction. The Superintendent shall immediately give intimation to the Coroner in the Presidency Towns or to the nearest Magistrate empowered to hold inquests.(c)In case of death due to suicide, accident, violence and sudden death, etc. both inquest and post-mortem shall be held.(d)Where the death has occurred due to violence or unnatural causes, the Superintendent shall at once send a brief report to the authorities concerned including the Chief Inspector/Inspector.(e)The Superintendent shall then make a detailed investigation of all the circumstances connected with the cause and forward the same without delay along with the inquest report to the authorities concerned.(f)The Medical Officer shall report to the Superintendent about the happening of the natural death of a juvenile and see that the body is decently removed to the mortuary.(g)In every case of illness which ends fatally, the Medical Officer shall see the body of the juvenile and shall record full particulars of the cause of death in relevant registers.(h)In case of natural death of a juvenile of an observation home or juvenile home or special home, the Superintendent shall obtain a report of the Medical Officer stating the cause of death. A written intimation about the death shall be given immediately to the nearest Police Station, the Civil Surgeon and the Coroner or the District Magistrate and the authorities under the Act.(i)The parents or guardians of the deceased juvenile shall be contacted and the Superintendent shall wait for 24 hours for the arrival of relatives. After the inquest is held, the body should be disposed of in accordance with the religion of the juvenile.(j)Upon the occurrence of any case of suicide, the Superintendent shall give immediate information thereof to the Coroner or the nearest Magistrate empowered to hold inquest and to order that an inquest and post- mortem may be held on the body. A full report on the whole circumstances connected with the case shall be promptly submitted by the Superintendent to the authorities concerned after the inquest is over.
