THE INDIAN PENAL CODE
ACT NO. 45 OF 1860
CHAPTER XV
OF OFFENCESRELATING TO RELIGION
- 295.Injuring or defiling place of worship, with intent to insult the religion of any class.—
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.
295A. Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by
insulting its religion or religious beliefs.—Whoever, with deliberate and malicious intention of
outraging the religious feelings of any class of 2[citizens of India], 3[by words, either spoken or written, or
or by signs or by visible representations or otherwise], insults or attempts to insult the religion or the
religious beliefs of that class, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which
may extend to 4[three years], or with fine, or with both.] - 296.Disturbing religious assembly.—Whoever voluntarily causes disturbance to any assembly
lawfully engaged in the performance of religious worship, or religious ceremonies, shall be punished with
imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or with both. - 297.Trespassing on burial places, etc.—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. - 298.Uttering words, etc., with deliberate intent to wound religious feelings.—Whoever, with the
deliberate intention of wounding the religious feelings of any person, utters any word or makes any sound
in the hearing of that person or makes any gesture in the sight of that persons or places any object in the
sight of that person, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may
extend to one year, or with fine, or with both.