Inquests of Death – Responsibilities of Medical Practitioners & Dentists
In terms of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) Act No. 15 of 1979, an inquest of death has
to be conducted by an Inquirer into Sudden Deaths (ISD) or the Magistrate, on receiving
information that a person has:
• committed suicide; or
• been killed by an animal or by machinery or by an accident; or
• died suddenly or from a cause which is not known; or
• died while in the custody.. of the police or in a mental or leprosy hospital or
prison; or
• come to his death by violence or accident; or
• died under suspicious circumstances or any person is found dead without its
being shown how such person came by his death; or
• died due to rash or negligent act of another person; or
• been killed by another person.
“Every person aware of such death shall, in the absence of reasonable excuse, carry the
burden of proof and, which shall lie upon the person so aware, forthwith shall give
information to the nearest Magistrate's Court or to the Officer in-charge of the nearest police
station or to a peace officer or to the Grama Seva Niladhari of the nearest village, of such
commission or intention or of such sudden, un-natural or violent death or death under
suspicious circumstance or of the finding of such dead body”. (Section 21 of CPC)
Therefore, any medical practitioner or dentist, in his/her professional capacity comes to be
aware of such deaths shall comply with this requirement and take appropriate action to
inform the police, enabling them to arrange an inquest.
