Section 326 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) applies when a person commits mischief that causes damage to essential public resources, infrastructure, or property, either intentionally or knowing it is likely to cause harm.
This includes acts that disrupt water supply, make roads unsafe, obstruct public drainage, damage navigation signals, destroy land-marks, or cause destruction using fire or explosives.
Punishment:
Whoever commits mischief by:
Reducing water supply for agriculture, drinking, or manufacturing shall be punished with imprisonment of up to five years, or fine, or both.
Obstructing roads, bridges, or navigable channels shall face imprisonment of up to five years, or fine, or both.
Causing inundation or obstructing public drainage with damage shall be punished with imprisonment of up to five years, or fine, or both.
Destroying navigation signs for rail, air, or sea transport shall be punished with imprisonment of up to seven years, or fine, or both.
Destroying government-fixed land-marks shall be punished with imprisonment of up to one year, or fine, or both.
Using fire or explosives to damage property shall be punished with imprisonment of up to seven years, and a fine.
Using fire or explosives to destroy buildings used as places of worship, human dwellings, or property storage shall be punished with life imprisonment or up to ten years of imprisonment, and a fine.
How It Protects:
This section prevents acts of large-scale damage to essential resources, public safety, and property.
It ensures that people who intentionally harm public infrastructure, water supply, or property using dangerous means face strict punishment.
Example:
If a person deliberately damages a public water supply pipeline, blocks a bridge to prevent transportation, or sets fire to a warehouse, they will be punished under this section.
Similarly, destroying railway signals or navigation markers for ships or aircraft is a serious offense under this law.
