BNS Section 117 — Voluntarily causing grievous hurt
CHAPTER VI OF OFFENCES AFFECTING THE HUMAN BODY — Of hurt
Criminal
Summary
Sub-section (1) defines the offence of voluntarily causing grievous hurt. A person commits this offence when they voluntarily cause hurt, the hurt they intend to cause or know they are likely to cause is grievous hurt, and the hurt they actually cause is also grievous hurt.
The Explanation clarifies that a person is not said to voluntarily cause grievous hurt unless they both cause grievous hurt and intend or know they are likely to cause grievous hurt. However, if a person intends or knows they are likely to cause one kind of grievous hurt but actually causes a different kind of grievous hurt, they are still said to have voluntarily caused grievous hurt. The Illustration gives an example: if a person, intending or knowing they are likely to permanently disfigure another person's face, gives a blow that does not permanently disfigure the face but causes severe bodily pain for fifteen days, that person has voluntarily caused grievous hurt.
Sub-section (2) sets out the punishment for voluntarily causing grievous hurt, except in the case covered by sub-section (2) of section 122. The punishment is imprisonment of either description for a term that may extend to seven years, and the person shall also be liable to a fine.
Sub-section (3) provides a higher punishment for a specific situation. Whoever commits an offence under sub-section (1) and, in the course of committing it, causes any hurt to a person that results in that person being in a permanent disability or in a persistent vegetative state, shall be punished with rigorous imprisonment for a term of not less than ten years, which may extend to imprisonment for life, meaning imprisonment for the remainder of that person's natural life.
Sub-section (4) deals with grievous hurt caused by a group. When a group of five or more persons acting together causes grievous hurt to a person on the ground of that person's race, caste or community, sex, place of birth, language, personal belief, or any other similar ground, each member of the group is guilty of the offence of causing grievous hurt. Each member shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term that may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to a fine.
Official Text
(1) Whoever voluntarily causes hurt, if the hurt which he intends to cause or knows himself to be likely to cause is grievous hurt, and if the hurt which he causes is grievous hurt, is said “voluntarily to cause grievous hurt”.
Explanation.—A person is not said voluntarily to cause grievous hurt except when he both causes grievous hurt and intends or knows himself to be likely to cause grievous hurt. But he is said voluntarily to cause grievous hurt, if intending or knowing himself to be likely to cause grievous hurt of one kind, he actually causes grievous hurt of another kind.
Illustration. A, intending of knowing himself to be likely permanently to disfigure Z’s face, gives Z a blow which does not permanently disfigure Z’s face, but which causes Z to suffer severe bodily pain for the space of fifteen days. A has voluntarily caused grievous hurt.
(2) Whoever, except in the case provided for by sub-section (2) of section 122, voluntarily causes grievous hurt, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.
(3) Whoever commits an offence under sub-section (1) and in the course of such commission causes any hurt to a person which causes that person to be in permanent disability or in persistent vegetative state, shall be punished with rigorous imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than ten years but which may extend to imprisonment for life, which shall mean imprisonment for the remainder of that person’s natural life.
(4) When a group of five or more persons acting in concert, causes grievous hurt to a person on the ground of his race, caste or community, sex, place of birth, language, personal belief or any other similar ground, each member of such group shall be guilty of the offence of causing grievous hurt, and shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.
Related Provisions
grievous hurt
Related Judgments
- SC (2025) Vol.6 p.280 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
- SC (2025) Vol.3 p.1309 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
- SC (2025) Vol.11 p.291 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
- SC (2025) Vol.3 p.1531 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
- SC (2024) Vol.8 p.670 — Supreme Court of India (2024)
- SC (2024) Vol.6 p.129 — Supreme Court of India (2024)
- SC (2025) Vol.4 p.2730 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
- SC (2025) Vol.7 p.105 — Supreme Court of India (2025)