Section 174 Cr.P.C.  deals with a situation wherein the Police to enquire and report on suicide.

When the Officer Incharge of the Police Station or the Police Officer specially appointed by the State Government receives information of a person committed suicide or killed by an animal or other or by a machinery or the circumstances surrounding his death raises reasonable suspicion that some other person might have committed an offence he then immediately intimate to the Executive Magistrate who is empowered to do inquest or by any official[s] notified by the State Government for such purposes and such Official visit the place of death of the person, in the presence of two or more respectable local residents shall conduct investigation and draw a report for causes behind the death describing such wounds, fractures, bruises and other marks of injury as found on the body. Also stating in what manner or weapon or instrument the death was inflicted.

The inquest report thus prepared by the official must be signed by the IO and or other persons giving concurrence to the report and then the same shall be forwarded to the District Magistrate or Sub Divisional Magistrate, when,

• The case involves suicide of a woman within 7 years of her marriage; or
• The case relates to death of woman within 7 years of marriage which raises reasonable suspicion that some other persons committed an offence in relation to such woman; or
• The case relates to the death of a woman within 7 years of her marriage and any relative of the woman has made a request; or
• There is any doubt over cause of death; or
• The Police Officer for any other reason consider it necessary so to do,

The Police Officer shall forward the body to the nearest Civil Surgeon or a qualified medical practitioner specially appointed by the State for examination and also taking into consideration weather and the distance the body needs to travel and the whole efforts of conducting examination becomes useless.   

The list of Magistrate are empowered to conduct inquest includes; District Magistrate or Sub Divisional Magistrate and any other Executive Magistrate specially empowered in the behalf by the State Government or the District Magistrate.