Exemplary punishment needed to curb acid attacks:SC judge Arun Mishra

JAIPUR: Expressing concern over incidents of acid attacks, Supreme Court judge Arun Mishra today said exemplary punishment is required to curb such offences.

Law enforcement agencies should check illegal sale of acid. Intense awareness campaign should be conducted to make the victims and their family aware of legal aid and other schemes for them, he said at the inaugural session of a state-level colloquium on Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006.

"Most of the victims of acid attacks are women. They suffer physically, mentally and it is difficult for them to adjust in the mainstream of the society. The Supreme Court has ordered that such victims should be included in disability list," Mishra said.

Punishment in acid attack cases should be exemplary to curb such offences, Mishra said.

A woman was allegedly forced to drink acid by two persons on March 23 on board a train in Uttar Pradesh. That was the fourth attack on the woman.

On the issue of child marriage, Mishra said besides punishment, education and awareness efforts are needed to curb the menace which puts the body and mind of children in grave danger.

Acting Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court and Executive Chairman of Rajasthan State Legal Services Authority (RSLSA) K S Jhaveri, acting Education Specialist of UNICEF Sulagna Roy, Member Secretary of RSLSA S K Jain and were among those present in the programme.

The colloquium was organised jointly by the RSLSA and the UNICEF.