BNS Section 326: Mischief by injury, inundation, fire or explosive substance, etc
Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 · Chapter 17: Of Offences Against Property
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326. Whoever commits mischief by,—
(a) doing any act which causes, or which he knows to be likely to cause, a diminution of the supply of water for agricultural purposes, or for food or drink for human beings or for animals which are property, or for cleanliness or for carrying on any manufacture, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to five years, or with fine, or with both;
(b) doing any act which renders or which he knows to be likely to render any public road, bridge, navigable river or navigable channel, natural or artificial, impassable or less safe for travelling or conveying property, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to five years, or with fine, or with both;
(c) doing any act which causes or which he knows to be likely to cause an inundation or an obstruction to any public drainage attended with injury or damage, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to five years, or with fine, or with both;
(d) destroying or moving any sign or signal used for navigation of rail, aircraft or ship or other thing placed as a guide for navigators, or by any act which renders any such sign or signal less useful as a guide for navigators, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, or with fine, or with both;
(e) destroying or moving any land-mark fixed by the authority of a public servant, or by any act which renders such land-mark less useful as such, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or with both;
(f) fire or any explosive substance intending to cause, or knowing it to be likely that he will thereby cause, damage to any property including agricultural produce, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine;
(g) fire or any explosive substance, intending to cause, or knowing it to be likely that he will thereby cause, the destruction of any building which is ordinarily used as a place of worship or as a human dwelling or as a place for the custody of property, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.
Bare act text for reference, current to 1 July 2024. It is not legal advice; check the official gazette for authoritative text.
Other sections in this chapter
- 303. Theft
- 304. Snatching
- 305. Theft in a dwelling house, or means of transportation or place of worship, etc
- 306. Theft by clerk or servant of property in possession of master
- 307. Theft after preparation made for causing death, hurt or restraint in order to committing theft
- 308. Extortion
- 309. Robbery
- 310. Dacoity
- 311. Robbery, or dacoity, with attempt to cause death or grievous hurt
- 312. Attempt to commit robbery or dacoity when armed with a deadly weapon
- 313. Punishment for belonging to a gang of robbers, etc
- 314. Dishonest misappropriation of property
- 315. Dishonest misappropriation of property possessed by a deceased person at the time of his death
- 316. Criminal breach of trust
- 317. Stolen property
- 318. Cheating
- 319. Cheating by personation
- 320. Dishonest or fraudulent removal or concealment of property to prevent distribution among creditors
- 321. Dishonestly or fraudulently preventing debt being available for creditors
- 322. Dishonest or fraudulent execution of a deed of transfer containing false statement of consideration
- 323. Dishonest or fraudulent removal or concealment of property
- 324. Mischief
- 325. Mischief by killing or maiming an animal
- 327. Mischief with intent to destroy or make unsafe a rail, aircraft, decked vessel or one of twenty tons burden
- 328. Punishment for intentionally running a vessel aground or ashore with intent to commit theft, etc
- 329. Criminal trespass and house-trespass
- 330. House-trespass and house-breaking
- 331. Punishment for house-trespass or house-breaking
- 332. House-trespass in order to commit an offence
- 333. House-trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint
- 334. Dishonestly breaking open a receptacle containing property