Abstract

Acid attack, also known as vitriolic, is a form of violence against women; it is defined as the act of pouring acid intentionally on the body of the victim to mutilate, torment or kill. Most of the acid attack cases occur due to refusal to marriage or a rejection of romance, a marker of how prevalent male egoism and patriarchy are in society. Other reasons for acid attacks include malice and jealousy. This paper describes the practical consequence of the acid attack on the body, i.e., mutilation & health complications caused by the burnt & mind, i.e., post-traumatic stress disorder of the victim as well as loss of social & economic life, i.e., isolation, negative comments, chances of marriage reduces, unable to find jobs, abandoned by the family members which leads to an emotional breakdown. This paper deals with the legal framework of acid attacks; the Criminal (Amendment) Act, 2013 inserted Sections 326A & 326B in The Indian Penal Code for the victims of such attacks. Acid attacks are treated as one of the cruellest crimes as it causes long-lasting suffering to the victim. As acid melts flesh and even the bones of a person, it causes unprecedented pain to the survivor and leaves her disfigured, as well as giving permanent disabilities such as blindness loss of hearing. The paper tracks how the courts in India have dealt with the issue of acid attacks. In some cases, the accused has been guilty of murder, as the mens rea of the attacker has been considered to be an intention to kill the victim. However, the amount of compensation has been mere.

Keywords