Acid attack is one of the most heinous gender based crimes in India. As per the national commission of India Acid attack is the act of either throwing acid or using it with the malafide intention of causing permanent or partial damage to the victim in form of disfiguration of the face or any other body parts of the victim
Although Acid attack has been criminalized in India still there are instances which show that the case’s are rising day by day. Section 326A of the Indian penal code lays down the punishment for this offence which is ten years or life imprisonment as the case may be and for attempting the said offence a person is punishable with 5-7 years of imprisonment and fine, here the victim of the acid attack is also compensated with three lakh rupees.
After the case of Lakshmi vs. Union of India it was laid down by the honourable Supreme Court that acid should not be Sold to anyone who is below the age of majority that is 28 years and also a photo identity proof was mandated for the purchase of acid. Despite these guidelines there still are people who deal in illegal purchase of acid which results in increased cases of the same.
The main reason is also that many steps taken by our government are only bon papers and there is no implementation of the same on ground level had it been so there would be reduced incidents of acid attack in India which are alarmingly increasing.