“Law Master’s Publication” “Offences Affecting The Public Safety Convenience” Prof. Santosh D. Bhosale
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OFFENCES AFFECTING THE PUBLIC SAFETY
(S. 281 to 291)
QUESTION BANK
Q. 1 Enumerate the offences affecting Public Safety defined in BNS?
Q. 2 What constitutes public safety? Explain with illustrations.
SHORT NOTES
1. Public Safety
SYNOPSIS
I. Meaning
II. Rash and Negligent Driving (S. 281):-
III. Other offences
I. Meaning:-
In the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, "Offences affecting public safety"
under Chapter XV from Ss. 281 to 291 refer to the acts or omissions that create an
“Law Master’s Publication” “Offences Affecting The Public Safety Convenience” Prof. Santosh D. Bhosale
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unreasonable risk of harm, injury, or death to the community at large. The chapter keeps
the provisions of the IPC as they were, with increased fines.
The offences against safety specifically target rash or negligent conduct involving
dangerous activities or hazardous substances. The law treats these acts as crimes against
society because they endanger people who are using public spaces or exercising their
common rights.
These offences are as follows-
II. Rash and Negligent Driving (S. 281):-
Whoever-
i) drives any vehicle, or
i) in a manner so rash or negligent as to endanger human
life, or
ii) rides on any public way
ii) to be likely to cause hurt or injury to any other person.
-Shall be punished with imprisonment up to 6 months or a fine up to Rs.- 1000/- or with
both.
In State of Maharashtra V/s Salman Khan’s Case ( May 2015)
Famous actor Salman Khan was also convicted of offences U/s 279 and 304 (A) of
the IPC for rash and negligent driving and killing persons sleeping on the footpath of
Mumbai.
III. Other Offences:-
Other offences in the group (i.e., affecting public safety) are as follows-
1) Rash navigation of the vessel (S. 282). Punishable with imprisonment up to 6 months or
a fine up to Rs. 10.000/- or with both
2) Exhibition of false light, mark, or buoy in order to mislead any navigator (S. 283).
punishable with imprisonment up to 7 years or a fine not less than Rs. 10,000/-.
3) Conveying a person by water for hire in an unsafe or overloaded vessel (S. 284).
Punishable with imprisonment up to 6 months or a fine up to Rs. 5000/- or with both.
4) Putting danger or obstruction in public ways or lines of navigation (S. 285). Punishable
only with a fine up to Rs. 5000/- .
5) Negligent conduct with respect to a poisonous substance (S. 286). Punishable with
imprisonment up to 6 months or a fine up to Rs. 5000/- or with both.
6) Negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter (S. 287). Punishable with
imprisonment up to 6 months or a fine up to Rs. 2000/- or with both.
7) Negligent conduct with respect to an explosive substance (S. 288). Punishable with
imprisonment up to 6 months or a fine up to Rs. 5000/- or with both.
8) Negligent conduct with respect to machinery (S. 289). Punishable with imprisonment
up to 6 months or a fine up to Rs. 5000/- or with both.
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9) Negligent conduct with respect to pulling down or repairing a building (S. 290).
Punishable with imprisonment up to 6 months or a fine up to Rs. 5000/- or with both.
10) Negligent conduct with respect to an animal against any probable danger to human life
from such animal (S. 289). Punishable with imprisonment up to 6 months or a fine up
to Rs. 5000/- or with both.
The only offence in the group punishable severely is defined under S. 283,
i.e., an exhibition of false light, mark, or buoy in order to mislead any navigator. The rest
of the offences are either punishable with imprisonment up to 6 months and a fine ranging
from Rs. 2000 to Rs. 5000 or simply with a fine.
*****
References-
1. OFFENCES AFFECTING PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFETY, CONVENIENCE,
DECENCY, MORALS, -
2. “The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita”
4. “BHARATIYA NYAYA SANHITA” 2023 J.K.VERMA
5. READY RECKONER OF OFFENCES AFFECTING THE PUBLIC HEALTH,
SAFETY,
CONVENIENCE,
DECENCY
AND
MORALS,
5. The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita