2 acid attack victims given Rs 25 lakh

Dipender Manta
Tribune News Service
Mandi, January 1

In a first case of its kind here, Criminal Injury Compensation Board, Mandi, has awarded Rs 25 lakh compensation to two acid attack victims in Mandi.

It was a mindless act committed by one jilted lover, who poured acid on a victim while travelling in a bus. In this incident, two victims were injured badly though several persons sustained injuries, the board observed.

The District Legal Service Authority, Mandi, had taken a suo motu notice and presented the case before the Criminal Injury Compensation Board seeking compensation for the victims.

Aslam Beg, Secretary of District Service Legal Authority, Mandi, told The Tribune that one victim (now 35) was attacked by the accused in 2005, when she was studying in BA second year at Government Vallabh College, Mandi. The accused was pleading her to marry him but she declined his proposal.

The accused followed the victim. When she boarded a bus for her village, the accused also took the bus. After some time, he poured acid on her. As a result, the victim lost her eyesight and her body developed scars.

Similarly, another girl (now 31), sitting next to the victim in the bus, also sustained injuries and suffered scars on her body. The medical certificate showed deep burns posing danger to her life. As a result of the acid- pouring, both victims are still unmarried.

“The District Legal Service Authority took up the matter before the Criminal Injury Compensation Board to provide them compensation as they were not given relief at the time of the incident. The victims were not even aware of the compensation scheme for women victims/survivors of sexual assault/other crimes”, he remarked.

“The District Legal Service authority took up the case before the board in December. The board led by chairperson R K Sharma awarded a compensation of Rs 13 lakh to one victim and Rs 12 lakh to another”, he added.

He said the victims had faced an uncivilized and heartless act. One victim lost her eyes, face and extensive portion of her skin, which was caused due to acid attack on the darkest day of her life on May 27, 2005. Similarly, the other victim could not pursue her studies due to long recovery period. Their parents, siblings, and other relatives also suffered huge economic, social, and psychological burden while taking care of them.

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