Section 457 - Indian Penal Code, 1860

457. Lurking house-trespass or house-breaking by night in order to commit offence punishable with imprisonment

Whoever commits lurking house-trespass by night, or house-breaking by night, in order to the committing of any offence punishable with imprisonment, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to five years, and shall also be liable to fine; and, if the offence intended to be committed is theft, the term of the imprisonment may he extended to fourteen years.

STATE AMENDMENT

State of Tamil Nadu:

Section 457 of the principal Act shall be renumbered as sub-section (1) of that section and after sub-section (1) as so renumbered, the following sub-section shall be added, namely:-

"(2) Whoever commits lurking house-trespass by night or house-breaking by night in any building used as a place of worship, in order to the committing of the offence of theft of any idol or icon from such building, shall, notwithstanding anything contained in subsection (1), be punished with rigorous imprisonment which shall not be less than three years but which may extend to fourteen years and with fine which shall not be less than five thousand rupees:

Provided that the court may, for adequate and special reasons to be mentioned in the judgment, impose a sentence of imprisonment for a term of less than three years".

[Vide Tamil Nadu Act No. 28 of 1993, section 5].