The legal provisions
* The accused can be charged under IPC Section 320 (grievous hurt), Sec 322 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt), Sec 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means), Sec 325 (punishment for voluntarily causing grievous hurt, Sec 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means) and Sec 307 (attempt to murder).
* Almost all cases of acid attacks on
women are being tried under Sections 320 and 326 of the IPC. The proposal is to
insert two new sections 326(A) and 326(B) to deal effectively with the attackers.
* Parliament may shortly table the Acid
Attack Bill. It will be treated as a crime of violence against women. The Bill seeks to classify acid attacks as a separate and
heinous offence. It speaks of adequate compensation to the victim, imposes curbs
on sale and manufacture of acids.
* Section 326(A) (non-bailable, cognisable and non-compoundable): The acid thrower shall be jailed for no less than 10 years,
may even get a lifer. Fine to be raised from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh.
* Section 326(B): Attempt to throw or use acid in any form and cause permanent/partial damage or deformity should be
punished with imprisonment of not less than seven years and also be liable for a minimum fine of Rs 1 lakh.
* Also, there is a proposal to amend the
Indian Evidence Act and Criminal
Procedure Code by inserting two new
sections — 114(B) to the Evidence Act and Section 357(A) to the CrPC. This will ensure that the compensation paid to the victim is recovered from the assets of the accused.
A string of gory tales
* Sep 13, ’96 (Visakhapatnam): Ch Anuradha attacked by fellow college student in the campus. She loses left eye, ear; suffers severe burns on hands and legs. Permanently disfigured.
* Mar 12, ’05 (Visakhapatnam): A final year MCA student throws acid on a Class 10 student for ‘ending’ their love affair. The victim left the city, the perpetrator was arrested.
* June 27, ’08 (Hyderabad): Two unknown persons disfigure the face of 21-one-year-old Mariam Fathima while she was riding a two-wheeler at Rajendranagar. Her husband, Nazmuddin, with whom her ties were strained, is suspected to be behind the incident.
* Nov 2, ’08 (Srikakulam): A private-college lecturer, Damodar, throws acid (in full public view) on a BSc final year student, Kalpana, in Palasa after she refused his marriage proposal. Both the victim and her family leave the state.
* Dec 10, ’08 (Warangal): Three men hurl acid at engineering student T Pranitha and Swapnika, her friend. Swapnika dies, Pranitha is recovering.
* June 15, ’09 (Guntur): B Rambabu of Nizampatnam mandal pours acid on his wife Bhasava Shanker’s face, doubting her character. She is in hospital, her face has been ruined.
* June 18 (Guntur): D Venkateswarulu of Mrutyunjaya Puram pours acid on wife Lakshmamma. Face disfigured, though she is out of danger.
* June 18 (Guntur): Kumar of Perecherla hurls acid on lover Sheikh Nabi’s face, and three other women when she went to a local hospital. All
escape. Young Nabi has not ventured out since.
* June 21 (Guntur): Alla Baksh of Nagannakunta village pours acid on his wife, suspecting her fidelity. She is undergoing treatment.
* June 29 (Guntur): M Venkatarammama pours acid on 60-year-old relative G Saidamma, while she was asleep outside her house at Guttikonda village, alleging that she forced her into trafficking. The victim is recovering.
* July 2 (Guntur): Differences with his wife prompts Bullaiah to pour acid on Shiva Parvathi and their 19-year-old daughter Meenakshi. Parvathi suffers burns, Meenakshi critical.
* July 27 (Nellore): Aseem Baig throws acid at estranged girlfriend K Sasikala, a saleswoman. Undergoing treatment with 15 per cent burns.
(Guntur district tops the list, followed
by three in Prakasam and two each in
East Godavari, Visakhapatnam rural and
Srikakulam districts.)