{"id":80913,"date":"2026-01-04T10:21:45","date_gmt":"2026-01-04T04:51:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=80913"},"modified":"2026-01-05T11:33:32","modified_gmt":"2026-01-05T06:03:32","slug":"indias-acid-attack-laws-high-acquittals-and-implementation-gaps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/indias-acid-attack-laws-high-acquittals-and-implementation-gaps\/","title":{"rendered":"India\u2019s Acid Attack Laws: High Acquittals and Implementation Gaps"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><b>Acid Attack Latest News<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The recent acquittal of the three main accused in a 2009 acid attack case by a Delhi court marked a crushing setback for survivor and social activist Shaheen Malik, who fought a 16-year legal battle.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The case underscores broader concerns in India\u2019s legal response to acid attacks.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Official data shows that of <\/span><b>703 acid attack cases<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> pending in courts in 2023, there were only <\/span><b>16 convictions against 27 acquittals<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, highlighting low conviction rates and prolonged judicial processes that continue to challenge survivors\u2019 access to justice.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Acid Attacks<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An acid attack involves throwing a <\/span><b>corrosive substance<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014most commonly sulphuric, hydrochloric, or nitric acid\u2014on a person with the intent to cause harm.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Such attacks can melt skin and flesh, expose or dissolve bones, and result in severe burns, blindness, disfigurement, permanent disability, or even a vegetative state.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Beyond physical injuries, survivors suffer deep psychological trauma and long-term socio-economic harm.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Acid attacks remain a grave, underreported crime in India, rooted in <\/span><b>gendered violence<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, easy access to corrosives, and systemic enforcement gaps, with devastating consequences for survivors\u2019 lives and livelihoods.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Who Are the Victims and Why Do Attacks Occur<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Acid attacks in India predominantly target <\/span><b>women and young girls<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, with perpetrators almost always men, making it a form of gender-based violence.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Children may also be harmed when present near the intended victim.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A 2024 analysis of 55 Indian cases by Acid Survivors Trust International found that in cases involving women, three-fourths were driven by <\/span><b>personal relationship<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> issues\u2014often revenge for rejecting romantic or sexual advances.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Other motives include <\/span><b>dowry disputes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><b>suspicions of infidelity<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and <\/span><b>domestic abuse<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For male victims, <\/span><b>property disputes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><b>professional jealousy<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and <\/span><b>political rivalry<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> were more common.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>How Often Do Acid Attacks Occur<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the National Crime Records Bureau, 207 acid attacks were reported in 2023, up from 202 in 2022 and 176 in 2021, alongside 65 attempted attacks.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Experts note significant underreporting due to stigma, family pressure, and fear of retaliation; ASTI estimates around 1,000 attacks annually in India.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Geographical Hotspots and Contributing Factors<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2023, the highest reported cases were in West Bengal (57), Uttar Pradesh (31), and Gujarat (15).\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Researchers link prevalence not only to <\/span><b>patriarchal attitudes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>weak enforcement<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, but also to <\/span><b>easy availability of acids<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> near industrial clusters (e.g., textiles and rubber), which lowers barriers to access.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Legal Framework Against Acid Attacks in India<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Following the Supreme Court of India\u2019s landmark judgment in <\/span><b>Laxmi vs Union of India<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, acid attacks were recognised as a distinct criminal offence, separate from general injury provisions.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Current Law and Punishments<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With the replacement of the IPC by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, acid attacks are covered under <\/span><b>Section 124<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Acid attack<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Minimum 10 years\u2019 imprisonment, extendable to life imprisonment, plus a \u201cjust and reasonable\u201d fine to cover medical expenses<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Attempt to acid attack<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: 5\u20137 years\u2019 imprisonment<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All public and private hospitals are legally required to provide <\/span><b>free first aid<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>medical treatment<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to acid attack victims. Failure to comply is punishable with up to one year imprisonment and\/or a fine.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Regulation of Acid Sale<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Supreme Court also directed strict regulation of acid sales:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Buyers must produce photo identification<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sellers must maintain a register of acid purchases<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, these rules are poorly enforced in most States.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Gaps in Implementation: Survivor\u2019s Experience<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Acid attack survivor and activist Shaheen Malik highlighted serious systemic failures:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">16-year delay in trial despite cases meant to be fast-tracked<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shoddy police investigation, ignored evidence, and judicial insensitivity<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pressure from police to settle out of court<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Compensation of \u20b93 lakh received nine years after the attack<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">She noted that none of the 300 survivors supported by her foundation have secured convictions, though many were offered monetary settlements.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Judicial Outcomes and NCRB Data<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) for 2023:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">113 cases under investigation, plus 53 pending from previous year<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">86 cases chargesheeted and sent for trial<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">649 cases pending trial overall<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Only 16 convictions, while 27 cases ended in acquittal<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Ending Acid Attacks: What More Needs to Be Done<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Survivors call for a comprehensive ban or far stricter control over acid sales, alongside rigorous enforcement of existing rules.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Accountability of local authorities is crucial, with penalties for illegal sales to deter misuse.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Ensure Timely Compensation and Care<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8211; Compensation must be disbursed within months, enabling prompt medical treatment and rehabilitation. Delays undermine recovery and access to justice.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Implement Comprehensive Rehabilitation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &#8211; The Justice J S Verma Committee recommended a national fund to cover survivors\u2019 lifelong medical, psychological, educational, and skilling needs.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Learning from Bangladesh\u2019s Experience<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bangladesh enacted stringent laws against acid sale and attacks in 2002, backed by sustained public awareness campaigns.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the Acid Survivors Foundation of Bangladesh, reported attacks fell sharply\u2014from 494 in 2002 to 13 in 2024, declining 15\u201320% annually.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Strengthen the Justice Delivery System<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Improving convictions requires:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sensitisation of police, prosecutors, and judges<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fast-track courts for acid attack cases<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Legal aid and counselling for survivors<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Penalising judicial delays to ensure timely trials<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Source:<\/b> <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/news\/national\/where-does-india-stand-on-acid-attacks-explained\/article70467417.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">TH<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Despite strict BNS laws, India faces low acid attack conviction rates. Experts urge tighter acid sale regulation and faster trials.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":81023,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[4020,60,22,59],"class_list":{"0":"post-80913","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-upsc-mains-current-affairs","8":"tag-acid-attack","9":"tag-mains-articles","10":"tag-upsc-current-affairs","11":"tag-upsc-mains-current-affairs","12":"no-featured-image-padding"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80913","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=80913"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80913\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/81023"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=80913"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=80913"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=80913"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}