157. Duty of Medical Officer upon the death of any prisoner.
(1)In the event of the death of any prisoner the Medical Officer shall see, and, if necessary, examine the body of the deceased prisoner, so that he may, in every case, be in a position to certify to the fact and cause of death. When the Medical Officer is in any doubt as to the cause of death, and in every case in which death appears or is likely to have been the result of an offence punishable under the Indian Penal Code, he shall make a complete and regular post-mortem examination on the body of the deceased. In the event of several deaths resulting from any prevailing epidemic a post-mortem examination shall be made in one or more cases to be selected by the Medical Officer in consultation with the civil surgeon.(2)The provisions of clause (1) shall, mutatis mutandis, apply to the case of a death occurring amongst the officers of the jail while employed on duty at or within such jail.
