BNS Section 86: Cruelty defined
Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 · Chapter 5: Of Offences Against Woman and Child
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86. For the purposes of section 85, “cruelty” means—
(a) any wilful conduct which is of such a nature as is likely to drive the woman to commit suicide or to cause grave injury or danger to life, limb or health (whether mental or physical) of the woman; or
(b) harassment of the woman where such harassment is with a view to coercing her or any person related to her to meet any unlawful demand for any property or valuable security or is on account of failure by her or any person related to her to meet such demand.
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
- 63. Rape
- 64. Punishment for rape
- 65. Punishment for rape in certain cases
- 66. Punishment for causing death or resulting in persistent vegetative state of victim
- 67. Sexual intercourse by husband upon his wife during separation
- 68. Sexual intercourse by a person in authority
- 69. Sexual intercourse by employing deceitful means, etc
- 70. Gang rape
- 71. Punishment for repeat offenders
- 72. Disclosure of identity of victim of certain offences, etc
- 73. Printing or publishing of any matter relating to Court proceedings without permission
- 74. Assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty
- 75. Sexual harassment
- 76. Assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe
- 77. Voyeurism
- 78. Stalking
- 79. Word, gesture or act intended to insult modesty of a woman
- 80. Dowry death
- 81. Cohabitation caused by man deceitfully inducing belief of lawful marriage
- 82. Marrying again during the lifetime of husband or wife
- 83. Marriage ceremony fraudulently gone through without lawful marriage
- 84. Enticing or taking away or detaining with criminal intent a married woman
- 85. Husband or relative of the husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty
- 87. Kidnapping, abducting, or inducing a woman to compel her marriage, etc
- 88. Causing miscarriage
- 89. Causing miscarriage without woman’s consent
- 90. Death caused by an act done with the intent to cause miscarriage
- 91. Act done with intent to prevent a child being born alive or to cause to die after birth
- 92. Causing the death of a quick unborn child by an act amounting to culpable homicide
- 93. Exposure and abandonment of a child under twelve years of age, by parent or person having care of it
- 94. Concealment of birth by secret disposal of a dead body
- 95. Hiring, employing, or engaging a child to commit an offence
- 96. Procuration of a child
- 97. Kidnapping or abducting a child under ten years of age with the intent to steal from its person
- 98. Selling a child for purposes of prostitution, etc
- 99. Buying a child for purposes of prostitution, etc