Medical law: 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.

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Forensic Medicine · Medical law: inquest in India

Sample item

A 24-year-old woman dies of burns 3 years after marriage. Her family alleges harassment for dowry. Which inquest is most appropriate?

AA medical examiner's inquestBA police inquest alone, without autopsyCA coroner's inquest with a juryDA magistrate's inquest, with a medico-legal autopsy

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

The answer and the reasoning

D. A magistrate's inquest, with a medico-legal autopsy

In India, the death of a woman within seven years of marriage in suspicious circumstances, a possible dowry death, requires an inquiry by a magistrate (executive magistrate) and a medico-legal autopsy. Police inquest is the usual method for most unnatural deaths, but a magistrate's inquest is used for custodial deaths, dowry-related deaths and exhumations. The coroner and medical examiner systems are not followed in India today.

Option by option

A. A medical examiner's inquest
The medical examiner system is not used in India for this purpose.
B. A police inquest alone, without autopsy
A police inquest alone is inadequate for a suspected dowry death.
C. A coroner's inquest with a jury
The coroner's system with a jury is not the system followed for this case in India.
D. A magistrate's inquest, with a medico-legal autopsy (correct)
Correct. A suspected dowry death within seven years of marriage needs a magistrate's inquest.

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.

Questions about this Forensic Medicine question

What is the answer to this Forensic Medicine question?

The best answer is D, A magistrate's inquest, with a medico-legal autopsy. In India, the death of a woman within seven years of marriage in suspicious circumstances, a possible dowry death, requires an inquiry by a magistrate (executive magistrate) and a medico-legal autopsy.

Why is "A medical examiner's inquest" not the answer?

The medical examiner system is not used in India for this purpose.

Why is "A police inquest alone, without autopsy" not the answer?

A police inquest alone is inadequate for a suspected dowry death.

Why is "A coroner's inquest with a jury" not the answer?

The coroner's system with a jury is not the system followed for this case in India.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Medical law: inquest in India in Forensic Medicine. Police inquest is the usual method for most unnatural deaths, but a magistrate's inquest is used for custodial deaths, dowry-related deaths and exhumations. The coroner and medical examiner systems are not followed in India today.

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 Medical law: 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.