Section 284: Prohibition of committing criminal trespass

1) No person shall commit, or cause to be committed, criminal trespass into the property of another person.

2) For the purposes of sub-section (1), a person who, with intent to do the following act, enters, in an unauthorized manner, and whether doing manhandling or not, into a property owned or possessed by another person without obtaining such other person’s permission or enters into such property with such permission but remains in, or continues to occupy or use, that property with intent thereby to do any of such acts shall be considered to commit criminal trespass:

(a) Committing any offence, or

(b) Intimidating, insulting or annoying the owner or possessor of the property.

3) A person who commits the offence referred to in sub-section (1) shall be liable to the following sentence:

(a) In the case of a person who commits criminal trespass for the purpose referred to in clause (a) of sub-section (2), a sentence equal to the sentence imposable for attempt to such offence,

(b) In the case of criminal trespass into a government office or human dwelling house for the purpose referred to in clause (b) of sub-section (2), a sentence of imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or a fine not exceeding five thousand rupees or both the sentences.

Explanation: For the purposes of this Section, –

(1) A place of temporary residence shall also be considered to be a house.

(2) Entry into, or use of, a way, passage, water collection centre, irrigation canal, graveyard, or temple that has been in public use for time immemorial shall not be considered to be criminal trespass.