Penalty for damage caused to land or crops or public roads by cattle

(1) Any owner or keeper of cattle, who through neglect or otherwise damages or causes or permits to be damaged any land or any crop or produce of land, or any public road, and other properties mentioned in section 8 by allowing such cattle to trespass thereon, shall, on conviction, be punished with fine which may extend to fifty rupees. (2) The magistrate trying an offence under sub-section (1) may order- (a) that the accused shall pay such compensation not exceeding two hundred and fifty rupees as the magistrate considers reasonable to any person for any damage proved to have been caused to his crop or other produce on land by the accused committing the offence; and (b) that the cattle in respect of which the offence has been committed shall be forfeited to the State Government. (3) Any compensation awarded under sub-section (2) may be recovered as if it were a fine imposed under this section. (4) The State Government, may, by notification, with respect to any local area specified in such notification, direct that this section shall be read as if the words "imprisonment for a period which may extend to three months or with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees or with both" were substituted for the words "fine which may extend to fifty rupees". (5) The offences under section 24 and section 25 shall be cognizable.