Section 357C CrPC: Treatment of victims

Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973

Section 357C CrPC at a Glance

Section 357C CrPC deals with treatment of victims. From 1 July 2024 it is replaced by Section 397 BNSS.

Now BNSS

What Section 357C CrPC Says

357C. Treatment of victims
All hospitals, public or private, whether run by the Central Government, the State Government, local bodies or any other person, shall immediately, provide the first-aid or medical treatment, free of cost, to the victims of any offence covered under section 326A, 376, 376A, 376AB, 376B, 376C, 376D, 376DA, 376DB or section 376E of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860), and shall immediately inform the police of such incident.

Source: Section 357C, Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973

Section 357C CrPC in Simple Words

Section 357C of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 is headed Treatment of victims.

All hospitals, public or private, whether run by the Central Government, the State Government, local bodies or any other person, shall immediately provide the first-aid or medical treatment, free of cost, to the victims of any offence covered under Section 326A IPC, Section 376 IPC, Section 376A IPC, Section 376AB IPC, Section 376B IPC, Section 376C IPC, Section 376D IPC, Section 376DA IPC, Section 376DB IPC or Section 376E IPC, and shall immediately inform the police of such incident.

When Section 357C CrPC Applies

The provision speaks of all hospitals, public or private, whether run by the Central Government, the State Government, local bodies or any other person.
They shall immediately provide the first-aid or medical treatment, free of cost.
The treatment is for the victims of any offence covered under Section 326A IPC, Section 376 IPC, Section 376A IPC, Section 376AB IPC, Section 376B IPC, Section 376C IPC, Section 376D IPC, Section 376DA IPC, Section 376DB IPC or Section 376E IPC.
They shall also immediately inform the police of such incident.

Time Limits Under Section 357C CrPC

The hospitals shall immediately provide the first-aid or medical treatment, free of cost.Act text: “shall immediately, provide the first-aid or medical treatment, free of cost”
The hospitals shall immediately inform the police of such incident.Act text: “shall immediately inform the police of such incident”

Example of Section 357C CrPC

Meera is the victim of an offence covered under Section 376 IPC and is brought to a private hospital. Under Section 357C of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, the hospital shall immediately provide the first-aid or medical treatment, free of cost, to Meera, and shall immediately inform the police of such incident.

When Section 357C CrPC Does Not Apply

Section 357C CrPC speaks of the victims of any offence covered under the sections of the Indian Penal Code that it names. It does not deal with the victim of an offence under any other provision.
Section 357C CrPC speaks of the duty of a hospital to inform the police of such incident. It does not deal with what the police do after the information is given.

Section 357C CrPC Under BNSS 397: What Changed

Section 357C CrPC is now covered under Section 397 BNSS.

Section 397 BNSS has the same heading and the same text as Section 357C CrPC, except that Section 397 BNSS names Section 64 BNS, Section 65 BNS, Section 66 BNS, Section 67 BNS, Section 68 BNS, Section 70 BNS, Section 71 BNS and Section 124(1) BNS where Section 357C CrPC named Section 326A IPC, Section 376 IPC, Section 376A IPC, Section 376AB IPC, Section 376B IPC, Section 376C IPC, Section 376D IPC, Section 376DA IPC, Section 376DB IPC and Section 376E IPC, and adds Section 4 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, Section 8 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 and Section 10 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012.

View detailed comparison (CrPC 357C vs BNSS 397) →

FAQs on Section 357C CrPC

Which hospitals does Section 357C CrPC cover?▼

All hospitals, public or private, whether run by the Central Government, the State Government, local bodies or any other person.

What shall a hospital do under Section 357C CrPC?▼

A hospital shall immediately provide the first-aid or medical treatment, free of cost, to the victims of any offence covered under the sections of the Indian Penal Code that Section 357C CrPC names, and shall immediately inform the police of such incident.

Which sections of the Indian Penal Code does Section 357C CrPC name?▼

Section 357C CrPC names Section 326A IPC, Section 376 IPC, Section 376A IPC, Section 376AB IPC, Section 376B IPC, Section 376C IPC, Section 376D IPC, Section 376DA IPC, Section 376DB IPC and Section 376E IPC.

Where is Section 357C CrPC found in the BNSS from 1 July 2024?▼

The Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 was replaced by the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 from 1 July 2024. Section 357C CrPC has no sub-sections, and maps as a whole to Section 397 BNSS. Section 397 BNSS names Section 64 BNS, Section 65 BNS, Section 66 BNS, Section 67 BNS, Section 68 BNS, Section 70 BNS, Section 71 BNS and Section 124(1) BNS where Section 357C CrPC named Section 326A IPC, Section 376 IPC, Section 376A IPC, Section 376AB IPC, Section 376B IPC, Section 376C IPC, Section 376D IPC, Section 376DA IPC, Section 376DB IPC and Section 376E IPC, and adds Section 4 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, Section 8 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 and Section 10 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012.

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Sources: Bare Act Text, Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 · Last updated: 22 Oct 2026 ·