Assault
AI Assist
Summary
Making a threatening gesture or preparing to act in a way that would make someone present fear you are about to use criminal force counts as an assault. It applies when the gesture or preparation, together with the actor's intention or knowledge, causes that apprehension. Mere words alone do not amount to assault, but words can make a gesture into an assault.
Example
Rohan shakes his fist at Meera knowing it will make her believe he is about to strike her. Under this rule, Rohan has committed an assault because his gesture and his knowledge caused Meera's apprehension of imminent force.
Bare Act
Enacted textWhoever makes any gesture, or any preparation intending or knowing it to be likely that such gesture or preparation will cause any person present to apprehend that he who makes that gesture or preparation is about to use criminal force to that person, is said to commit an assault.
Explanation
Mere words do not amount to an assault. But the words which a person uses may give to his gestures or preparation such a meaning as may make those gestures or preparations amount to an assault.
Illustrations
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(a) A shakes his fist at Z, intending or knowing it to be likely that he may thereby cause Z to believe that A is about to strike Z. A has committed an assault.
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(b) A begins to unloose the muzzle of a ferocious dog, intending or knowing it to be likely that he may thereby cause Z to believe that he is about to cause the dog to attack Z. A has committed an assault upon Z.
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(c) A takes up a stick, saying to Z, “I will give you a beating”. Here, though the words used by A could in no case amount to an assault, and though the mere gesture, unaccompanied by any other circumstances, might not amount to an assault, the gesture explained by the words may amount to an assault.
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