Question:medium

Outraging the modesty of a woman is punishable under:

Updated On: Jul 13, 2026
  • Section 354, IPC
  • Section 363, IPC
  • Section 509, IPC
  • Section 511, IPC
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The Correct Option is C

Solution and Explanation

More than one IPC section protects a woman's modesty, so answering this correctly means noticing exactly what kind of conduct each provision is built around.

  1. Section 354: is triggered specifically by assault or the use of criminal force against a woman, done with intent to outrage her modesty; physical contact or force is central to this provision.
  2. Section 363: deals with kidnapping a minor from the keeping of a lawful guardian, an entirely separate offence with no link to modesty.
  3. Section 509: punishes insulting a woman's modesty through a word, a gesture, an act, or by intruding on her privacy, it does not need physical assault or force, only conduct or expression intended to outrage her modesty.
  4. Section 511: is a general attempt provision, applied only when no specific punishment exists for attempting a particular offence, it is not aimed at modesty at all.

The correct answer is Section 509, IPC, the provision covering word, gesture, or act intended to outrage a woman's modesty.

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