Mischief with intent to destroy a rail, decked vessel or a vessel of burden is punishable under Section 327 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 only when the capacity is beyond some specified limits. What is the capacity mentioned under the law ?

Section 327 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, prescribes punishment for mischief with the intent to destroy or render unsafe any rail, decked vessel, or vessel of burden. According to the statutory text, this specific provision applies when the vessel is of a burden of twenty tons or upwards.

• This section corresponds to Section 437 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860, but has been updated to include "rail" within its ambit.
• The offence is punishable with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and the offender shall also be liable to a fine.
• The threshold of 20 tons distinguishes this more serious offence from general mischief involving smaller vessels.

Official sources, including the Gazette of India notification for the BNS 2023, confirm the capacity limit as twenty tons.