Section 326 in THE BHARATIYA NYAYA SANHITA, 2023 – BNS

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

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.