In August, the Lok Sabha was informed that of the 386 acid attacks against women reported during 2018-22, only 62 were convicted.
Release Date – 12:40 AM, Mon – 12 December 22
In August, the Lok Sabha was informed that of the 386 acid attacks against women reported during 2018-22, only 62 were convicted.
Hyderabad: The acid attack on a 17-year-old girl in Derry by a jilted lover and his accomplices is a stark reminder of the failure of a poor and ineffective system to prevent such heinous attacks. Although the Supreme Court banned the sale and purchase of acid over the counter in 2013, the ban has been widely violated – checks and penalties are virtually non-existent. Unfortunately, the current system allows anyone to buy acid online for a pittance. An urgent review is necessary to understand how such transactions are regulated. In August, the Lok Sabha was informed that of the 386 acid attacks against women reported during 2018-22, only 62 were convicted. Many more such violent attacks have gone unreported. As the latest victim of an acid attack fighting for life at Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital, it is humbling to look at the law enforcement and judicial system in such cases. According to the latest report from the National Criminal Records Bureau, some 93.8 percent of acid-splashing cases were still in court at the end of 2018, with only 31 cases processed that year. The alarming rate of such sensitive cases pending has raised questions about the speed of the country’s judicial process. In 2013, parliament passed an amendment to criminalize acid attacks and offer survivors of such attacks reimbursement for medical expenses. But the plight of acid attack survivors has been largely ignored. Until 2013, acid attack was considered a separate offense under the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Following the Penal Code (Amendment) 2013, sections 326A and 326B were inserted in the IPC, penalizing acid assault and attempted acid assault. The amendment is primarily aimed at controlling and preventing acid attack, a gender-based crime against women. Under these provisions, the minimum penalty is 10 years’ imprisonment, which may be extended to life imprisonment and a fine, and shall be calculated based on the victim’s medical expenses. While ordering a nationwide ban on over-the-counter sales of acid, the Supreme Court also directed states to issue acid sales licenses to selected retailers who are required to keep records of acid purchases and submit the list to the nearest Police Department. It can only be sold to persons with valid identification and only if the buyer can satisfactorily explain the reason for purchasing the chemical. However, these norms are often flouted. In transactions involving e-commerce sites, at least electronic traces are available, but in over-the-counter transactions of corrosive substances, there is none. According to one study, nearly 78 percent of acid incidents are due to rejected marriage proposals or sexual advances.
