HC moved for ban on unlicensed acid sale

The Madras High Court today ordered issue of notice to the Centre and the Tamil Nadu Government on a petition seeking ban on the sale of unlicensed over-the-counter acid with immediate-effect.

Justice N Kirubakaran ordered the notice and posted for February 27 the petition filed in the backdrop of recent death of two young women victims of acid attacks here.

Shanthi, state co-ordinator of Erode-based Citizens For Human Rights Movement, in her petition referred to the death of one of the acid-attack victims Vinodini and contended that the social uprising was being ignored by government authorities.

She said that as a social-activist she was astounded and baffled by the culpable failure of the authorities to enforce the Explosives Act and allowed over-the-counter sale of acid.

Contending that 'acids' which fell within the meaning of 'explosives' were easily available as toilet-cleaners and for automobile batteries, the petitioners said they are being misused to attack women.

She further prayed for a direction to seek enforcement of the Explosives Act by banning unlicensed over-the-counter acid sale with immediate-effect and a direction to prosecute acid-vendors in acid attack cases being prosecuted by the authorities.