Vidhi Codex

Bare Act

The Bombay Village Police Act, 1867

Criminal186725 sections

This Act establishes a system of village police in the Bombay region to maintain public order and prevent crime at the local level. It designates "Police-patels" as responsible officials who oversee village security, report crimes to higher authorities, and assist district magistrates. These local officers are empowered to prevent offenses, detect wrongdoers, and coordinate with revenue officials to ensure the safety and well-being of the community. The law ensures that every village has a designated structure for law enforcement, making it easier to manage small-scale criminal activities and maintain peace within rural areas.

Start reading →Read full ActSections
  1. 1. Interpretation clause
  2. 2. Extent
  3. 3. Administration, control and direction of village-Police, in whom vested
  4. 4. Power to depute to District Superintendent authority over village police-officer
  5. 5. Village-police in villages under charge of Police-patel
  6. 6. Duties of Police-patel
  7. 7. Authority over village-servants
  8. 8. Precautions against robbery, etc
  9. 9. Penalties for neglect of duty, etc
  10. 9A. Liability to criminal prosecution not affected. Power to suspend during trial
  11. 10. Information to officer in charge of District Police-station when criminal in village has escaped or is not known
  12. 11. Inquest in case of unnatural or sudden death or corpse found within village
  13. 12. Police-patel to apprehend person he believes has committed serious offence. Person apprehended to be for-warded to Police- station
  14. 13. Power to call and examine witnesses, record evidence and search for concealed articles. Power to enter limits of other villages
  15. 14. Penalty for neglect of duty, etc. by police-patel
  16. 15. Magistrate may issue a commission to Police-patel to try certain offenders. Power of Police patel to punish
  17. 16. Power to prohibit and to punish for beating, etc., animal; bathing, washing in, or defiling well, etc; depositing dirt
  18. 17. Proceedings how taken under sections 14, 15 and 16
  19. 18. Power to cancel commission issued under section 15
  20. 19. Unclaimed property
  21. 20. Prosecution under other regulations, etc., for offence punishable by Act
  22. 21. Provision in case of absence, sudden illness, etc. of Police- patel
  23. 22. "District Police- station" defined
  24. 24. Short title
  25. 25. Repeal and saving

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