Criminal LawSection 132, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023

BNS Section 132

What are the penalties for assaulting a public servant during their duties?

Short answer

You can face up to two years in prison, a fine, or both.

In detail

The law says that if you assault or use criminal force against a public servant while they are carrying out their official duties, or if you do it to stop or scare them from doing their job, you can be punished. The punishment can be up to two years in prison. You might also have to pay a fine, or you could face both prison time and a fine. The law does not say anything about how the assault must happen; it covers any assault or criminal force that meets the description. It also covers situations where the assault is meant to deter the public servant from doing their duty. This means the law protects public servants from being harmed or threatened while they are doing their job. The section also says that the assault can be committed with intent to prevent or deter the public servant from performing their duty, or as a consequence of something the public servant did while lawfully carrying out their job.

Reviewed by LegalX Editorial · 3 September 2026View source

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