Section 331 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023:Punishment for house-trespass or house-breaking.
Punishment for house-trespass or house-breaking.Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023
(1) Whoever commits lurking housetrespass or house-breaking, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which
may extend to two years, and shall also be liable to fine.
(2) Whoever commits lurking house-trespass or house-breaking after sunset and before sunrise, shall
be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, and
shall also be liable to fine.
(3) Whoever commits lurking house-trespass or house-breaking, in order to the committing of any
offence punishable with imprisonment, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a
term which may extend to three years, and shall also be liable to fine; and if the offence intended to be
committed is theft, the term of the imprisonment may be extended to ten years.
(4) Whoever commits lurking house-trespass or house-breaking after sunset and before sunrise, in
order to the committing of any offence punishable with imprisonment, shall be punished with
imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to five years, and shall also be liable to
fine; and, if the offence intended to be committed is theft, the term of the imprisonment may be extended
to fourteen years.
(5) Whoever commits lurking house-trespass, or house-breaking, having made preparation for
causing hurt to any person, or for assaulting any person, or for wrongfully restraining any person, or for
putting any person in fear of hurt or of assault or of wrongful restraint, shall be punished with
imprisonment of either description or a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to
fine.
(6) Whoever commits lurking house-trespass or house-breaking after sunset and before sunrise,
having made preparation for causing hurt to any person or for assaulting any person, or for wrongfully
restraining any person, or for putting any person in fear of hurt, or of assault, or of wrongful restraint,
shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to fourteen years,
and shall also be liable to fine.
(7) Whoever, whilst committing lurking house-trespass or house-breaking, causes grievous hurt to
any person or attempts to cause death or grievous hurt to any person, shall be punished with
imprisonment for life, or imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years,
and shall also be liable to fine.
(8) If, at the time of the committing of lurking house-trespass or house-breaking after sunset and
before sunrise, any person guilty of such offence shall voluntarily cause or attempt to cause death or
grievous hurt to any person, every person jointly concerned in committing such lurking house-trespass or
house-breaking after sunset and before sunrise, 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.