Section 326 in THE BHARATIYA NYAYA SANHITA, 2023 – BNS

Mischief by injury, inundation, fire or explosive substance, etc.

  1. 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.