Acid sale sans proper record continues with impunity

Minna Zutshi

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, March 17

You just have to shell out Rs 70 to buy a bottle of “pure” acid from a “kiryana store”. No questions asked, no identification sought, no log/register maintained. You walk in, ask for the acid, pay the money and you are in possession of a “weapon” that can wreak havoc in less than one minute.

The Gurdaspur acid attack case has once again brought to the fore the issue of easy availability of acid that can be used as a weapon to inflict pain and cause grievous burns to victims.

Despite the Supreme Court (SC) orders prohibiting over-the-counter sale of acid without ascertaining the particulars of the buyer, the sale of acid continues unabated in the state. The SC orders state that acid cannot be sold over-the-counter unless the seller maintains a log/register recording, with complete details of the sale. The court order, passed in 2013, also says that acid should not be sold to anyone below 18 years of age.

In blatant violation of these orders, shops continue selling acid with impunity. This reporter asked a male co-worker to purchase acid from one of the shops in the old city.

Within a few minutes, he was back with a bottle of acid. The shopkeeper told him it is “pure” acid. The only other conversation the seller had with him was about money. The bottle could be bought for Rs 70 only, the shopkeeper told him.

A resident of the Field Ganj area said they didn’t even need to walk down to the shop to buy a bottle of acid – vendors selling their wares regularly visit the localities. They stock different types of “cleansers”, including “pure” acid. “We routinely buy acid-filled bottles from the vendors. It’s for the first time that we’re hearing that over-the-counter sale of acid is allowed only after registering all details about the buyer,” said a young man. He added that practically there was no restriction on purchasing acid from a “kiryana” store or a vendor.