Section 280-290

Sections 280–290 address public nuisance — acts or omissions that harm, annoy, or endanger not a specific individual but the general public or a neighbourhood. Public nuisance straddles the line between civil law (which provides injunctions and damages) and criminal law (which provides punishment). The BNS criminalises it where the harm to public welfare is sufficient to justify state intervention. Section 280 contains the general definition — any act causing common injury, danger, or annoyance to the public. More specific provisions address: adulteration of food or drugs (a major public health concern), fouling water sources, negligent conduct with poisonous substances (Section 284), negligent conduct with explosives (Section 286), and negligent conduct with animals (Section 289). The animal negligence provision (Section 289) has become important in the context of dangerous dogs — owners of aggressive breeds who allow their animals to roam freely and who have attacked people are prosecuted under this section. The food and drug adulteration provisions (Sections 272–276) are among the most practically important public nuisance provisions: selling adulterated food, mixing poisonous substances with food or drink, and adulterating medical drugs all attract punishment, with enhanced sentences where the adulteration is likely to cause death.