Delhi Commission for Women Panel Seeks Complete Ban On Sale Of Acid In City
Delhi Commission for Women has issued a notice to Divisional Commissioner of Revenue of Delhi seeking a complete ban on the sale of acid in the national capital. The notice says there have been 20 incidences of acid attacks in Delhi the third highest after West Bengal and UP. By law acid can only be sold by licensed shops in India.
For years, India has been struggling to grapple with heinous acid throwing crime.
The attack often occurs as revenge for rejecting a marriage proposal or sexual advances, for not bearing a male child, unsatisfactory dowry or even futile reasons like not cooking well!
Reuters
Acid attack survivors undergo unspeakable trauma, they are shunned by society and face the worst case official apathy when it comes to punishing the criminal. Acid attack is not just focused on women, according to the National Crime Record Bureau, about 30-40 percent of acid attack survivors are men.
Keeping all of this in mind, the Delhi Commission for Women has issued a notice to Divisional Commissioner of Revenue, seeking a complete ban on the sale of acid in the national capital, which it said has become a major cause of concern.
Citing data from National Crime Record Bureau, the notice says there have been 20 incidences of acid attacks in Delhi, the third highest after West Bengal and UP.
Concerned over the heinous crime and taking into consideration the ban on acid sale declared by the Supreme Court in July 2013, the DCW has issued a notice to Divisional Commissioner of Revenue of Delhi, seeking a complete ban on the sale of acid in the city.
PTI/DCW Chief Swati Maliwal
DCW Chief Swati Maliwal has sought an action taken report on the matter within ten days. Ms Maliwal also met some acid attack survivors on the tenth day of her 13-day-long Mahila Suraksha Padyatra (women safety march).
"We are victims of acid attack, but also victims of mental and physical trauma, police cases, court cases and social isolation... please do not isolate us, we are as much a part of society as you are. I don''t hide my face, why should I? I haven''t done anything wrong. The person who threw acid on me should hide his face," said an acid attack survivor who met Ms Maliwal.
By law, acid can now only be sold by licensed shops in India. The shopkeeper is required to maintain a record of the quantity sold and to whom.
Inputs PTI.