18. Nothing is an offence which is done by accident or misfortune, and without any criminal intention or knowledge in the doing of a lawful act in a lawful manner by lawful means and with proper care and caution. Illustration. A is at work with a hatchet; the head flies off and kills a man who is standing by. Here, if there was no want of proper caution on the part of A, his act is excusable and not an offence.
BNS Section 18: Accident in doing a lawful act
Section 18 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 deals with accident in doing a lawful act. It replaces IPC 80 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860.
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Text of BNS Section 18
IPC sections replaced
- IPC 80: Accident in doing a lawful act
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