Section 103 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) lays down punishment for the crime of murder. This section addresses both individual acts of murder and group crimes committed based on discriminatory motives, ensuring strict accountability for such heinous acts.
Punishment:
Any individual who commits murder is punishable by death or life imprisonment, along with a fine.
If a murder is committed by a group of five or more individuals acting together based on discriminatory grounds such as race, caste, community, place of birth, language, personal belief, or any similar factor, each member of the group faces the same punishment: death or life imprisonment, along with a fine.
How It Protects:
This section deters individuals and groups from committing murder by imposing the strictest penalties. It addresses group-based violence motivated by discrimination or hatred and reinforces the importance of justice, equality, and social harmony. By targeting both individual and collective crimes, it ensures that the legal framework prevents discriminatory violence effectively.
Example:
If a person intentionally murders another individual, they are liable to punishment under this section. Similarly, if five or more individuals kill someone based on caste or community discrimination, each group member faces the same punishment under this law.
