For the first time, new offences of mob lynching and snatching have been made punishable in section 103 (2) and section 304 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. Section 103(2) of BNS provides that when a group of five or more persons acting in concert commits murder on the ground of race, caste or community, sex, place of birth, language, personal belief or any other similar  ground  each  member  of  such  group shall be punished with death or with imprisonment for life, and shall also be liable to fine.

Section 304 of BNS provides that theft is snatching if, in order to commit theft, the offender suddenly or quickly or forcibly seizes or secures or grabs or takes away from any person or from his possession any movable property. The section further provides that whoever commits snatching, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, and shall also be liable to fine.

This was stated by the Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Bandi Sanjay Kumar in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha.

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RK/VV/ASH/RR/PR/PS/1046