If in the exercise of the right of private defence against an assault which reasonably causes the apprehension of death, the defender be so situated that he cannot effectually exercise that right without risk of harm to an innocent person, his right of private defence extends to the running of that risk.
Illustration:
A is attacked by a mob who attempt to murder him. He cannot effectually exercise his right of private defence without firing on the mob, and he cannot fire without risk of harming young children who are mingled with the mob. A commits no offence if by so firing he harms any of the children.
BNS Section 44 outlines that when defending oneself from a deadly assault where there is a reasonable fear of death, if the defender is in a position where exercising their right to self-defense would endanger innocent people, the right extends to taking that risk.
Q1: What does BNS Section 44 cover?
A1: BNS Section 44 covers the right of private defense when defending oneself against an assault that reasonably causes fear of death. It states that if exercising this right puts innocent people at risk, the right extends to taking that risk.
Q2: What is the key condition for exercising the right of private defense under BNS Section 44?
A2: The key condition is that the defender must be in a situation where they cannot effectively exercise their right of private defense without risking harm to innocent persons.
Q3: What is the implication if the right of private defense causes harm to innocent people?
A3: The implication is that if the defender causes harm to innocent people while exercising their right of private defense, they commit no offense.
Q4: Can you provide an example of this situation?
A4: Yes, an example is given in the illustration where A is attacked by a mob. A cannot defend himself without firing on the mob, and there is a risk of harming children mingled with the mob. A is not at fault if his defense results in harming the children.
Example Scenario:
A person is being attacked by a group of people with the intention to kill. The attacker is in a position where they need to use a weapon to defend themselves. However, there are innocent bystanders, including young children, in close proximity. The attacker, in this case, is allowed to use force to defend themselves even if it risks harming the children, as their primary concern is their own safety from the deadly assault. If the attacker inadvertently harms any of the children while defending themselves, they would not be considered at fault under this section.
BNS Section 44 permits the use of private defense even when it poses a risk to innocent individuals if it is necessary to prevent a deadly assault. The defender’s right extends to accepting the risk of harming innocent persons when the situation demands it for effective self-defense.
Answer By Law4u Team
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