Question

PRINCIPLE: Whoever with the intent to cause, or knowing that he is likely to cause wrongful loss or damage to the public or to any person, causes the destruction of property, or any such change in any property or in the situation thereof as destroys or diminishes its value or utility, or affects it injuriously, commits mischief.
FACTUAL SITUATION: A went to B's house for dinner. He saw that B had a statue made of ice, which was kept in a freezer. A removed the statue from the freezer for a few minutes, which led to the hand of the statue changing shape.

• A. A has not committed mischief, since he did not have the intention to change the shape of the hand of the statue
• B. A has committed mischief because he should have known that his act was likely to damage the statue
• C. A has not committed mischief because the statue did not get destroyed
• D. A did not commit mischief because the value of the statue has not dimished

Answer 1

Answer: (B)

A has committed mischief because he should have known that his act was likely to damage the statue

A has caused destruction of property of B by putting it in a situation where the hand of the statue changed shape . A should have known that his act is likely to cause wrongful loss or damage to the property of B.

A reasonable prudent man would have known that removing ice figure from the freezer and putting it elsewhere will lead to melting of the ice statue. Therefore, A has committed mischief.