IPC Section 295 — Injuring or defiling place of worship, with intent to insult the religion of any class

Summary

If a person destroys, damages, or makes a place of worship unclean, or does the same to any object that a group of people considers sacred, and they do this either to insult that group’s religion or knowing that the group will likely see it as an insult to their religion, that person can be punished. The punishment can be imprisonment for up to two years, a fine, or both.

Official Text

Whoever destroys, damages or defiles any place of worship, or any object held sacred by any class of persons with the intention of thereby insulting the religion of any class of persons or with the knowledge that any class of persons is likely to consider such destruction, damage or defilement as an insult to their religion, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.

Related Judgments

• SC (1959) Vol.1 p.1211 — Supreme Court of India (1959)
• CRL OP(MD)/9777/2016 — Madras High Court ()
• THR LRS v. MAHANT SURESH DAS & ORS — Supreme Court of India (2019)
• PRIYA PRAKASH VARRIER AND OTHERS v. STATE OF TELANGANA AND ANOTHER — Supreme Court of India (2018)
• ...Petitioner vs 1. The Principal Secretary to the Government, — Madras High Court (2019)
• ... Petitioner vs 1.The Chief Secretary — Madras High Court (2017)
• S.C.R. 763 MAHENDRA SINGH DHONI v. YERRAGUNTLA SHYAMSUNDAR AND ANR — Supreme Court of India (2017)
• S.C.R. 328 STATE OF MAHARASHTRA & ORS v. SANGHARAJ DAMODAR RUPAWATE & ORS — Supreme Court of India (2010)

Old <-> New Code Mapping

• BNS §298 — Injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult religion of any class