While the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 omits any general offence of attempting to commit suicide,…

The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 omits the general offence of attempting to commit suicide (formerly Section 309 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, whose deletion the Supreme Court had recommended in Aruna Ramchandra Shanbaug v. Union of India, 2011). However, Section 226 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 creates a specific offence punishing whoever attempts to commit suicide with the intent to compel or restrain any public servant from discharging his official duty. Section 108 punishes abetment of suicide, Section 223 punishes disobedience to an order duly promulgated by a public servant, and Section 225 punishes holding out a threat of injury to induce a person to refrain from applying for protection to a public servant (while Section 224 punishes threat of injury to a public servant).