Apprehension and punishment of persons armed or previously convicted of theft or of other persons
3. Any person found, between sunset and sunrise-
(a) armed with any dangerous or offensive instrument whatsoever, with intent to commit any criminal act;
(b) disguised in any manner with intent to commit any criminal act;
(c) in any dwelling house or other building whatsoever, without being able satisfactorily to account for his presence therein; or
any person previously convicted of theft found between sunset and sunrise on board any vessel or boat, or lying or loitering in any bazar, street, yard, thoroughfare or other place who shall not give any satisfactory account of himself; or
any person having in his possession, without lawful excuse (the proof of which excuse shall be on such person) any instrument of house-breaking;
may be taken into custody by any police-officer without a warrant, and shall be liable, on summary conviction before a Magistrate, to imprisonment, for a term which may extend to three months.
Explanation.- In this section the word “street” means any road, lane, footway, square, court, alley or passage, whether a thoroughfare or not, to which the public have, permanently or temporarily, a right of access.