Facing ongoing threats and abuse from anyone, whether a stranger, a colleague, a neighbour, an acquaintance, or someone closer to you, is a genuinely distressing experience, and it is completely reasonable to want clear, practical guidance on exactly what legal action is available to you. Understanding what action you can take if someone is threatening and abusing you is essential to regaining a sense of safety and control, and Indian law provides multiple, effective, and readily accessible remedies regardless of who the perpetrator is or the specific nature of the threats and abuse involved. This answer explains exactly what action you can take, the relevant legal provisions, and the practical steps to follow to protect yourself and hold the person responsible accountable.

The foundational legal remedy for threats is criminal intimidation under Section 351 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS), which replaced Sections 503, 506, and 507 of the old Indian Penal Code. Under this provision, whoever threatens another person with injury to their person, reputation, or property, or to the person or reputation of anyone they care about, with the intent to cause alarm or to compel them to do something they are not legally bound to do, commits criminal intimidation, punishable with imprisonment of up to two years, a fine, or both, with an enhanced punishment of up to seven years where the threat specifically involves death, grievous hurt, or destruction of property by fire. If you are being threatened in any of these ways, you are entitled to file a police complaint invoking this provision, and because it is classified as a cognizable offence, the police are obligated to register your FIR and investigate.

If the abuse you are experiencing involves actual physical violence rather than, or in addition to, threats, this constitutes voluntarily causing hurt under Section 115 of the BNS, punishable with imprisonment of up to one year, a fine of up to ten thousand rupees, or both, or, if the injury is more severe, voluntarily causing grievous hurt under Section 117 of the BNS, which carries considerably more serious punishment extending up to seven years' imprisonment. If the abuse has involved verbal harassment, insults, or humiliation in a public place causing annoyance to you or others, this may additionally constitute obscene acts and words under Section 296 of the BNS, and if you are a woman and the abuse has involved any element of sexual harassment, insulting words, gestures, or intrusion upon your privacy, this squarely falls within Section 79 of the BNS, addressing insult to a woman's modesty, which carries a considerably more serious punishment of imprisonment extending up to three years.

If the threats and abuse are occurring digitally, through messages, calls, or social media, rather than in person, the same underlying offences under the BNS apply equally to threats and intimidation communicated electronically, and you additionally have recourse under the Information Technology Act, 2000 if the abuse involves obscene content under Sections 67 or 67A, or a breach of your privacy and confidentiality under Section 72, depending on the specific nature of what has been communicated or shared.

Regardless of the specific nature of the threats or abuse you are experiencing, the first and most important practical step is to begin documenting everything as thoroughly and as soon as possible. Save every threatening message, voicemail, or email with visible timestamps, keep a written record noting the date, time, location, and specific nature of any verbal threats or physical abuse, including as much precise detail as you can recall about exactly what was said or done, and identify any witnesses who may have seen or heard the abuse occurring, along with their contact information if possible. If you have sustained any physical injury, seek medical attention promptly and ensure the treating doctor documents your injuries clearly, since this medical record becomes crucial supporting evidence for your complaint.

Once you have this documentation, approach the police station having jurisdiction over the location where the threats or abuse occurred, or where you reside, and file a written complaint clearly describing what has happened, specifically naming the person responsible if known to you, and invoking the relevant provisions discussed above. If the police are reluctant to register your FIR, remember that under Section 173 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS), registration of an FIR for a cognizable offence is mandatory once the necessary ingredients are disclosed in your complaint, and you can escalate this in writing to the Superintendent of Police, or seek a direction from the jurisdictional Magistrate under Section 175(3) of the BNSS if the local police station continues to refuse registration.

If you fear for your immediate physical safety, do not hesitate to contact the police emergency helpline for urgent assistance, and if the threat is genuinely severe and imminent, the jurisdictional magistrate has the power to pass preventive orders under Section 163 of the BNSS, corresponding to the earlier Section 144 of the CrPC, to prevent an anticipated breach of peace or danger to your safety, providing an additional layer of protection while your criminal complaint proceeds through the ordinary investigative process.

If the person threatening and abusing you is someone you share a household with, or a family member related by blood, marriage, or adoption, you have significant additional civil protective remedies available under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, if you are a woman, which extends specifically to domestic relationships including those with relatives by blood or marriage sharing a household, not merely spousal relationships, allowing you to seek Protection Orders, Residence Orders, and Monetary Relief through a comparatively swift civil process before the Magistrate, entirely independent of, and in addition to, your criminal complaint.

If the threats specifically involve an attempt to extort money, property, or compliance from you — for instance, someone threatening to harm you or your reputation unless you pay them or comply with certain demands — this additionally constitutes extortion under Section 308 of the BNS, which is treated as a serious offence given the coercive and predatory nature of this conduct, and should be specifically highlighted in your complaint alongside the underlying threats.

Throughout this process, it is worth being mindful of your own safety planning independent of the legal process itself: informing trusted family members or friends about the situation, avoiding being alone with the person threatening you where reasonably possible while your complaint is being processed, and having a plan for how to quickly seek help if the situation escalates suddenly, since legal remedies, while genuinely effective, do take some time to result in protective action, and your immediate physical safety should always remain your primary and most urgent priority.

If you are hesitant to approach the police for any reason, whether due to fear of the perpetrator, a lack of confidence in how your complaint will be received, or uncertainty about the process, it is worth reaching out first to a women's helpline, a local NGO working on issues of safety and abuse, or a trusted advocate, all of whom can provide guidance, support, and, where appropriate, accompany or assist you through the process of filing your complaint, helping to reduce the burden of navigating this alone.

Given how much your specific situation — the nature of the relationship with the abuser, the type and severity of the threats and abuse, and the specific evidence available to you — shapes the most effective legal strategy, it is genuinely valuable to consult an experienced advocate for guidance tailored to your circumstances. You can reach out via Aapka Legal Advice for a confidential, compassionate consultation on documenting the threats and abuse you are experiencing, filing the appropriate criminal complaint, and, where relevant, pursuing protective orders to secure your immediate safety.

Given the sensitivity and urgency that situations of ongoing threat and abuse often involve, many people find real value in obtaining an independent, experienced perspective from the panel of retired judges available through certain legal consultation platforms, since a retired judicial officer can offer grounded, compassionate guidance on the most effective and swift path to both safety and legal accountability given your specific circumstances.

If formal legal representation is required, engaging an advocate experienced in criminal intimidation, assault, and, where relevant, domestic violence protective proceedings will ensure your situation is handled with the urgency and care it deserves. You can explore Top Criminal Lawyers in India | Aapka Legal Advice to find advocates with relevant experience, and request an initial, confidential assessment from the panel of retired judges if further guidance is needed.

In summary, if someone is threatening and abusing you, you have strong and effective legal remedies available: a criminal complaint for criminal intimidation under Section 351 of the BNS, for physical hurt under Section 115 or 117 of the BNS, and, where applicable, additional protections under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 if the abuser is a family member sharing your household. Documenting everything carefully, seeking prompt medical attention for any injuries, filing your complaint promptly with the police, and seeking urgent protective measures where your safety is at immediate risk together give you the strongest possible path to safety and accountability.