Acid attacks: Supreme Court asks Centre, states to address the menace

NEW DELHI: Viewing with concern incidents of acid attacks, the Supreme Court today directed the Centre to convene in six weeks a meeting of Chief Secretaries of all states and Union Territories to address the menace and discuss framing of a law for treatment and compensation to victims.

Not satisfied with the steps taken by the Centre to regulate sale of acid and to curb its use for attacking women, a bench headed by Justice R M Lodha directed the Union Home Secretary to meet all the Chief Secretaries to formulate a policy to address the menace of the acid attacks.

The bench passed the order on a PIL filed in 2006 by Delhi-based victim Laxmi who was then a minor. Her arms, face and other body parts were disfigured in an acid attack.

In her plea, she had sought framing of a new law or amending of the existing criminal laws like IPC, Indian Evidence Act and CrPC for dealing with the offence, besides asking for compensation.

Laxmi was subjected to the acid attack by three youths near Tughlaq Road here as she had refused to marry one of them, according to the petition. The trial is going on for the offence of attempt to murder and two of the accused are out on bail.