Chavan promises Compensation Board for acid attack victims

Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan has assured setting up of a Criminal Injuries Compensation Board (CICB) in the state soon to render assistance to acid attack victims mostly comprising women.

This assurance was given to a delegation led by MPCC General Secretary and chief of the Human Rights cell Summan R Agrawal who met the Chief Minister yesterday and submitted a detailed memorandum with regard to acid attack victims to him.

Talking to newsmen here last night, Agrawal said that during the meet she also demanded amendment in laws, attracting stringent punishment to acid attackers as such incidents were on a rise in in the state and needed immediate remedy.

She further said till now there is no special provision of punishment in existing criminal laws for disfiguring someone by throwing acid and such type of crimes are registered under section 320, 322, 325 and 326 of Indian Penal Code which are applied for injury or serious injury to person.

There is no mention of injury due to acid in all these sections. Surprisingly, the cases registered under Section 320 and 326 of IPC are decided in the court of First Class Judicial Magistrate or Chief Judicial Magistrate. Though crime under 326 is non bailable, still criminals manage to get bail in short time, she pointed out.

In these circumstances, acid attack victims don’t get proper justice, the memorandum said.

The delegation also appealed to the Chief Minister to apprise the Centre on the issue of necessary amendment in IPC Section 326 and Evidence Act under Section 114.

It also requested the CM to form a Criminal Injuries Compensation Board for giving compensation to women for immediate treatment of acid attack.

They demanded that compensation amount of Rs 1 lakh be given to the hospital within 30 days of attack.

Agrawal also announced that with help such women, a programme "SAVE THE FACE" has been launched by Human Rights Cell of Maharashtra Pradesh Congress. Under this programme, free plastic surgery of acid injured women will be carried out by Cosmetic Surgeon Padmashree Dr Ashok Gupta, she added.