BNS 330 — House-trespass and hous-ebreaking.

Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023

Statutory text

330.(1) Whoever commits house-trespass having taken precautions
to  conceal  such  house-trespass  from  some  person  who  has  a  right  to
exclude or eject the trespasser from the building, tent or vessel which is
the subject of the trespass, is said to commit lurking house-trespass.
(2) A person is said to commit house-breaking who commits house-
trespass if he effects his entrance into the house or any part of it in any of
the six ways hereinafter described; or if, being in the house or any part of
it for the purpose of committing an offence, or having committed an offence
therein, he quits the house or any part of it in any of the following ways,
namely:–
(a) if he enters or quits through a passage made by himself, or
by any abettor of the house-trespass, in order to the committing of
the house-trespass;
(b) if he enters or quits through any passage not intended by
any  person,  other  than  himself  or  an  abettor  of  the  offence,  for
human entrance; or through any passage to which he has obtained
access by scaling or climbing over any wall or building;
(c) if he enters or quits through any passage which he or any
abettor of the house-trespass has opened, in order to the committing
of the house-trespass by any means by which that passage was not
intended by the occupier of the house to be opened;
(d)  if  he  enters  or  quits  by  opening  any  lock  in  order  to  the
committing of the house-trespass, or in order to the quitting of the
house after a house-trespass;
(e)  if  he  effects  his  entrance  or  departure  by  using  criminal
force  or  committing  an  assault,  or  by  threatening  any  person  with
assault;
(f) if he enters or quits by any passage which he knows to have
been fastened against such entrance or departure, and to have been
unfastened by himself or by an abettor of the house-trespass.
Explanation.—Any out-house or building occupied with a house, and
between   which   and   such   house   there   is   an   immediate   internal
communication, is part of the house within the meaning of this section.
Illustrations
(a) A commits house-trespass by making a hole through the wall of
Z’s  house,  and  putting  his  hand  through  the  aperture.  This  is  house-
breaking.

(b) A commits house-trespass by creeping into a ship at a port-hole
between decks. This is house-breaking.
(c)  A  commits  house-trespass  by  entering  Z’s  house  through  a
window. This is house-breaking.
(d)  A  commits  house-trespass by entering Z’s house through the
door, having opened a door which was fastened. This is house-breaking.
(e)  A  commits  house-trespass by entering Z’s house through the
door, having lifted a latch by putting a wire through a hole in the door. This
is house-breaking.
(f) A finds the key of Z’s house door, which Z had lost, and commits
house-trespass  by  entering Z’s house, having opened the door with that
key. This is house-breaking.
(g) Z is standing in his doorway. A forces a passage by knocking Z
down, and commits house-trespass by entering the house. This is house-
breaking.
(h) Z, the door-keeper of Y, is standing in Y’s doorway. A commits
house-trespass  by  entering  the  house,  having  deterred  Z  from  opposing
him by threatening to beat him. This is house-breaking.
Punishment for house-trespass or house-breaking.

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