● Modified in BNS
Section 304A IPC punished causing death by any rash or negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide with imprisonment up to 2 years, or fine, or both. This was the main provision used in road-accident and medical-negligence deaths.
BNS Section 106(1) raises the punishment for causing death by rash or negligent act to imprisonment up to 5 years and fine (up to 2 years and fine for registered medical practitioners acting in the course of a medical procedure). Section 106(2) creates a new aggravated offence: a driver who causes death by rash and negligent driving and escapes without reporting the incident faces up to 10 years and fine.
Major change: maximum sentence increased from 2 to 5 years, a softer regime carved out for doctors, and a new hit-and-run offence (up to 10 years) added.
Summaries are for general information and are not legal advice. For the authoritative bare-act text, see India Code, the official repository of Central legislation. ← All comparisons