UP govt lays out new rules—4 hours for completing postmortem

The Uttar Pradesh government has simplified the process of post-mortem in the state as now only 4 hours would be required for completing the procedure.    

Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, who also holds the health portfolio, instructed the medical colleges to do the post-mortem in a maximum of four hours to reduce the pain of family members in the hour of grief. 

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On the instructions of the Deputy CM, Principal Secretary of Health Department Partha Sarathi Sen Sharma has released a new guide line of post-mortem here today. 

A new system has been implemented in post-mortem houses across the state as now the post –mortem will have to be done in a maximum of four hours. Districts where a large number of post-mortem are being done, there the CMO would make proper arrangements of doctors to perform the post-mortem within the time frame.

The deputy CM said that after the sunset, post-mortem should be done as per rules. Related records along with the dead body should also be sent to the post-mortem house as soon as possible.    

In the case of post -mortem at night, arrangements of 1000 watt lights should be made. Other important resources should also be sufficient so that the post-mortem action continues for 24 hours. 

“Do not do post-mortem at night in cases related to murder, suicide, sexual offense, mutilated bodies and deaths under suspicious circumstances,” he suggested.

However, for unavoidable reasons, post-mortem can also be done at night on the permission of the District Magistrate and his authorized officer, the Deputy CM said.

The government order says that videography of the post-mortem in the night should be made compulsory in a death case in the first 10 years of marriage, police encounter, death in police custody or any mystery death.

According to the mandate, videography of post -mortem under the panel must be done and videography money should not be taken from the victim’s families. Videography should be paid from Rogi Kalyan Samiti and from other heads.

The government order says all postmortem  reports should be reported online and it should be followed strictly.

The deputy CM said that a computer operator and two data entry operators should be deployed in the post-mortem house by CMO. A vehicle should be arranged to take the body to the post-mortem house from the hospital. CMO should arrange two vehicles in each district for this purpose.

The order said that  women doctors should be compulsorily included in the post-mortem panel in the event of the death of a woman within the first 10 years of marriage, female crime and rape. Besides DNA sampling should be done to identify unknown bodies.