IPC Section 297 — Trespassing on burial places, etc

Summary

A person who enters a place of worship, burial ground, or any place used for funeral rites or storing dead bodies, with the intent to hurt someone’s feelings or insult their religion, or knowing that their actions are likely to do so, commits an offence. The same applies if they insult a dead body or disturb people gathered for a funeral. This offence can lead to imprisonment for up to one year, a fine, or both.

Official Text

Whoever, with the intention of wounding the feelings of any person, or of insulting the religion of any person, or with the knowledge that the feelings of any person are likely to be wounded, or that the religion of any person is likely to be insulted thereby, commits any trespass in any place of worship or on any place of sepulture, or any place set apart for the performance of funeral rites or as a depository for the remains of the dead, or offers any indignity to any human corpse, or causes disturbance to any persons assembled for the performance of funeral ceremonies, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or with both.

Related Judgments

• LAKSHMANA NADAR AND OTHERS v. R. RAMIER — Supreme Court of India (1953)
• PATTU RAJAN v. THE STATE OF TAMIL NADU — Supreme Court of India (2019)
• MATIULLAH SHEIKH v. THE STA TE OF WEST BENGAL — Supreme Court of India (1964)
• CRL OP/19466/2019 — Madras High Court (2019)
• S.C.R. SUPREME COURT REPORTS 101 JUGGILAL KAMLAPAT v. GENERAL FIBRE DEALERS LTD — Supreme Court of India (S)
• SC (2025) Vol.1 p.1909 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
• MAN SINGH v. STATE OF UTTARAKHAND — Supreme Court of India (2013)
• ... Petitioners/Accused vs The Deputy Superintendent of Police, — Madras High Court (2007)

Old <-> New Code Mapping

• BNS §301 — Trespassing on burial places, etc