Acid attack worse than murder, says SC

NEW DELHI: The reluctance of the state to provide compensation to a victim of acid attack came under sharp criticism of the Supreme Court which termed the act as "worse than murder".

"The matter is very serious. Her life is totally ruined. It is worse than murder," a Bench comprising Justices G P Mathur and P K Balasubramanyan said.

The court was hearing a petition of a Delhi-based minor girl Laxmi, a victim of acid attack, seeking framing of new law to deal with acid attack as a special offence which has increased manifold in past few years.

Laxmi, whose arms, face and other body parts were severely disfigured and deformed in the acid attack, has sought either framing of new law or for amending the existing criminal laws like Indian Penal Code (IPC), Indian Evidence Act and the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) for dealing with the offence.

Acid was thrown at her by three youths as she had refused to marry one of them.

"We just can't visualise her condition," the Bench, which was upset with the Centre for failing to respond the notice issued to it in May last year, observed.

"The state must provide compensation," it said when Laxmi's counsel Aparna Bhat informed the court that the state has not come forward with any kind of compensation for the victim.

"The state should provide medical aid to the poor victim," the Bench said as Bhat apprised it about the condition of the girl, who has already undergone four surgeries and is preparing for the fifth one.

When the Centre said the court should indicate in its order the issue of compensation, the Bench said "we want to know your response". It then granted six week to the Centre to file a detailed affidavit.