Thanatology: inquest in India: practice question

A Forensic Medicine question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

Try it

Forensic Medicine · Thanatology: inquest in India

Sample item

A 24-year-old woman is found hanging at her marital home 3 years after her marriage, and the family alleges dowry harassment. Who conducts the inquest in this case?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. An Executive Magistrate

In India a police inquest is the usual procedure for unnatural deaths, but when a married woman dies within seven years of marriage in suspicious circumstances, the matter is sent to an Executive Magistrate for inquest. A magistrate's inquest is also required for deaths in custody. India has no coroner system outside historic provisions.

Option by option

  • A. An Executive Magistrate (correct)

    Correct. A magistrate's inquest is required for a suspicious death within seven years of marriage.

  • B. The treating doctor

    Doctors perform the autopsy and do not conduct inquests.

  • C. A coroner

    A coroner's inquest is not part of the current system.

  • D. The police officer alone

    A police-only inquest is not enough in this situation.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More Forensic Medicine questions

Questions about this Forensic Medicine question

What is the answer to this Forensic Medicine question?

The best answer is A, An Executive Magistrate. In India a police inquest is the usual procedure for unnatural deaths, but when a married woman dies within seven years of marriage in suspicious circumstances, the matter is sent to an Executive Magistrate for inquest.

Why is "The treating doctor" not the answer?

Doctors perform the autopsy and do not conduct inquests.

Why is "A coroner" not the answer?

A coroner's inquest is not part of the current system.

Why is "The police officer alone" not the answer?

A police-only inquest is not enough in this situation.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Thanatology: inquest in India in Forensic Medicine. A magistrate's inquest is also required for deaths in custody. India has no coroner system outside historic provisions.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Thanatology: inquest in India?

Learn postmortem changes with their timelines, and toxicology as poison, sign, test and antidote. Then use the flashcards and the other Forensic Medicine questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.