Mr B told Mr A to leave premises occupied by Mr A. When Mr A refused, Mr B collected workmen who surrounded Mr A, tucked up their sleeves and aprons and threatened to break his neck, but did not touch him. Under which tortious act can Mr A file the case?
Explanation & Strategy
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This scenario mirrors the classic case of Read vs. Coker. The workers surrounded Mr A, rolled up their sleeves, and threatened physical violence — creating a reasonable apprehension of imminent force. Since no actual physical contact occurred, it's assault (not battery, which requires touching). It's not false imprisonment because Mr A wasn't prevented from leaving — he was being threatened to leave. 'Hurt' is a criminal law concept (IPC/BNS), not a tort law category.