HC directs legal aid to grant Rs 5 lakh compensation to 2 acid attack victims

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday directed authorities to grant Rs 5 lakh compensation each to two acid attack victims who have lost vision in their eyes, observing that the incident has left them physically impaired for lifetime.

The high court also directed the Delhi State Legal Services Authority (DSLSA) to bring a proposal and prospects for employment of these two acid attack victims in any department of the Delhi government to ensure their rehabilitation.

A bench of Justices Suresh Kumar Kait and Neena Bansal Krishna said the victims have suffered immensely due to the acid attack, not only due to complete loss of vision in both eyes, but also becoming disfigured and differently abled and having to depend on others for life.

''They have lost all prospects of career, marriage and leading a normal life. This court is of the opinion that the victims in the present case have gone through not only physical but also mental agony,'' the bench said.

It directed the DSLSA to forthwith grant compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the victims under the 'Women Victim Compensation Fund'.

''There is no doubt that the present case is yet another horrid illustration of how girls of young age have suffered abuse of acid attack for reasons whatsoever, which has left them not only physically impaired for the life time but also scars of physical and emotional trauma will last in their minds and hearts during lifetime,'' the high court said.

The high court's judgment came while hearing the appeals by the State and the two victims challenging a trial court's verdict acquitting two men against whom a criminal case was lodged accusing them of throwing acid on the two women in October 2009.

The high court upheld the trial court's order and said the prosecution has not been able to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt and added that there was no error in the judgment acquitting them.

''However, before parting with this judgment, this court finds it necessary to mention that if the identity of the assailant of the crime of throwing acid upon the appellants-victims has not been established, still this court cannot ignore the fact that the victims have suffered grave injuries, scars of which shall remain with them for life,'' the bench said.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)