Activists, victims question why the curbs on sale of acid are not enforced

Hours after a 17-year-old girl was attacked with acid in west Delhi’s Mohan Garden, her family questioned how such substances are freely available in the market, despite a 2013 Supreme Court order banning their over-the-counter-sale.

“She (the victim) is talking but you can feel she is very shaken by what happened. She will now always feel scared to step out of the house alone, or to go to school or the market,” one of the teenager’s aunts said.

Another aunt added, “How are such substances freely available? If her burn marks don’t go, her life will be terribly impacted. We live in a society which is obsessed with beauty.”

The girl was attacked by her stalker Sachin Arora (20), who lived in the same neighbourhood. However, the victim’s parents claimed to have no knowledge of the stalker. The family said before the incident, the girl was very jovial, and had planned to pursue law and eventually take exams to become a judge.

Acid attack survivors, including activist Laxmi Aggarwal, visited the hospital to meet the girl but were not allowed inside the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) where the girl has been admitted. “My organisation and I are willing to help the survivor with anything that she would need, including counselling and treatment. In most cases of acid attack, the eyes are impacted, which is a concern for this girl also,” she said.

She added that in many cases, the victims are minor girls because they are hesitant to share threats that they face with their families. “I have seen that girls are unable to tell their parents if they are being threatened or harassed because then the parents take action against the victim herself,” she said.

In 2013, the Supreme Court had banned over-the-counter sale of acids in all states and Union Territories. The top court also instructed all state governments to issue acid-sale licences to select retailers. Any outlet authorised to sell the volatile liquid is mandated to ask buyers for an address proof and a photo identity card, so they can be traced in case of an untoward incident. Minors are not allowed to purchase acid, and details of the sale are to be provided to the local police station within three days.