India to adopt tough new measures against acid attacks after another victim is disfigured
Efforts come after doctor disfigured allegedly by men hired by jilted lover
The Indian government is considering tough new measures to stop acid attacks after another assault - this time leaving a female doctor disfigured and possibly blinded in one eye after the substance was flung on her on Christmas Eve by men allegedly hired by a jilted lover.
The Home Ministry is planning to make acid attacks heinous crimes, and a new web-based application will be used to regulate sales of acid only to authorised individuals.
The law will also be amended to speed up trials, and victims will receive free medical treatment.
Last year, thanks to lobbying by a 23-year-old acid attack survivor, the Supreme Court restricted the sale of acid. But little has changed. Acid can be bought from grocery stores for about 15 rupees (HK$1.8) a litre.
This easy availability resulted in Dr Ashok Yadav, who police said has confessed, paying two men to throw acid on the Christmas Eve victim because she planned to marry someone else. Police said he told them: "I wanted to teach her a lesson."
On December 11, a law student in Srinagar suffered an acid attack as she walked to college, leaving her with horrific injuries. A spurned suitor and his friend have been arrested.