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Indian criminal law | IPC and BNS

Section 325 IPC: Punishment for Voluntarily Causing Grievous Hurt

Section 325 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, prescribed punishment for voluntarily causing grievous hurt. Under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, the broadly corresponding general punishment is in Section 117(2). Both provide imprisonment extending to seven years and liability to a fine.

Applicable law: The BNS generally came into force on 1 July 2024 for new offences. Section 325 IPC remains important for acts governed by the earlier law. Section 325 BNS is not the corresponding grievous-hurt provision; the relevant BNS provision is Section 117(2).

Original statutory text: Section 325 IPC

325. Punishment for voluntarily causing grievous hurt. Whoever, except in the case provided for by section 335, voluntarily causes grievous hurt, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.

The above reproduces the substantive statutory text from the original webpage. The exception refers to Section 335 IPC, which separately addresses voluntarily causing grievous hurt on grave and sudden provocation.

Section 117(2) BNS: Corresponding current punishment

Section 117(1) BNS defines voluntarily causing grievous hurt, while Section 117(2) provides the general punishment: imprisonment of either description for a term that may extend to seven years, and liability to fine, subject to the statutory exception for the relevant provocation provision under BNS.

Section 117 also contains additional provisions addressing particular aggravated circumstances. Those should not be confused with the general punishment under subsection (2).

Essential ingredients of the offence

  1. Grievous injury: The victim must have sustained an injury falling within one of the statutory categories of grievous hurt.
  2. Voluntary causation: The accused must have caused the injury through an act that satisfies the legal requirement of voluntarily causing hurt.
  3. Intention or knowledge: The accused must have intended to cause grievous hurt or known grievous hurt to be likely, as explained by Section 322 IPC and Section 117(1) BNS.
  4. Applicable exception: The facts must be considered against any statutory exception or separate provision, including grave and sudden provocation.

Where the accused intends or knows grievous hurt of one kind to be likely but actually causes a different statutory kind, the offence may still be established under the explanation to the relevant definition.

What constitutes grievous hurt?

Section 320 IPC and Section 116 BNS enumerate the specified categories, including emasculation, permanent loss of sight or hearing, loss or permanent impairment of a member or joint, permanent disfiguration of the head or face, fractures or dislocations of bones or teeth, and other injuries meeting the statutory serious-harm criteria.

Important distinction: The eighth category in the IPC refers to severe bodily pain or inability to follow ordinary pursuits for twenty days, whereas the BNS wording refers to fifteen days. The alternative criterion of an injury that endangers life is separate from these duration requirements.

IPC Section 325 and BNS Section 117 compared

IssueIPC, 1860BNS, 2023
Definition of grievous hurtSection 320Section 116
Voluntarily causing grievous hurtSection 322Section 117(1)
General punishmentSection 325Section 117(2)
Maximum general imprisonmentUp to seven yearsUp to seven years
FineLiable to fine; no fixed amount in this sectionLiable to fine; no fixed amount in subsection (2)
Dangerous weapons or meansSeparate Section 326Separate Section 118(2)
Provocation exceptionSection 335 IPCRelevant separate BNS provocation provision

Does Section 325 require seven years in prison?

No. The words "may extend to seven years" establish a maximum, not a mandatory seven-year sentence. Sentencing depends on the offence proved, injury, circumstances and applicable legal principles. The section also provides liability to a fine.

Medical evidence and proof

Medical examination reports, radiology and dental records, hospital documents, photographs, testimony and other evidence may help establish the type and cause of injury. A medical opinion is significant, but the court must assess whether the proved facts satisfy the statutory definition and the required intention or knowledge.

Frequently asked questions

What is the punishment under Section 325 IPC?

Section 325 IPC provides imprisonment of either description for up to seven years and liability to a fine, except in the case covered by Section 335 IPC.

Which BNS provision corresponds to Section 325 IPC?

Section 117(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, provides the general punishment for voluntarily causing grievous hurt.

Is seven years imprisonment mandatory?

No. Seven years is the maximum term under the general provision, not an automatic sentence. The sentence depends on the facts and judicial assessment.

What is grievous hurt?

Section 320 IPC, and the corresponding Section 116 BNS, specify the kinds of injuries classified as grievous hurt, including fractures and specified permanent impairments.

Is a dangerous weapon required for Section 325 IPC?

No. Dangerous weapons or means may attract the distinct aggravated offence under Section 326 IPC or Section 118(2) BNS, depending on the facts.

Does Section 325 IPC apply to offences committed after 1 July 2024?

The BNS generally governs offences committed on or after 1 July 2024. The IPC remains relevant to earlier conduct, subject to applicable transitional and savings provisions.

Official legislation and references

Updated 30 October 2026. This article provides general legal information, not case-specific advice. Applicable provisions depend on the date of the alleged offence and the facts.