The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Centre planning legislation to deal with acid attack cases In the legislature

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Aug 02, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Centre planning legislation to deal with acid attack cases In the legislature

Special Correspondent

Opinion of the State Government sought on the proposed law

73 acid attack cases reported in the State
since 2001
‘Suraksha’ launched last year to rehabilitate women victims

Bangalore: Home Minister V.S. Acharya on Friday told the Legislative Council that the Centre was enacting a law for punishing those found guilty of offences against women by using acid or corrosive substance, with death or imprisonment for not less than 14 years.

Replying to the Janata Dal (Secular) Floor Leader Basavaraj Horatti on the issue, the Minister said that the Centre had informed the State Government of enacting the legislation in view of the growing number of acid attacks on people, especially women, in the country. It had also asked the State Government for its opinion, he said and added that in view of this, there was no need for separate legislation for such offences.

Dr. Acharya said that 73 cases of acid attack had been reported since 2001 in the State.

The unit heads of the Police Department had been told that an officer, not below the rank of inspector should investigate the complaint. The cases should be registered under IPC Section 320 for grievous injury, Section 326 for causing serious injury with a lethal weapon or some material that harmed a person such as corrosive substance and Section 307 for attempt to murder.

The substance used for attack should be immediately sent for forensic examination. The victim should be sent to the hospital for receiving first aid.

The accused should be arrested and information collected on the source of acid or other substance used for the attack and the reason for it.

Steps would be initiated to ensure that substances such as acid became inaccessible to anti-social elements.

The Minister said that officers had been instructed to treat the victim with care and sympathy and his or her family informed about the need to move court for relief.

He said that a programme called “Suraksha” was started last year for rehabilitating women victims and they were given a sum ranging from Rs. 20,000 to Rs. 2,00,000, depending upon the severity of the injury.

Dr. Acharya said that Rs. 2 lakh had been kept in reserve for treating victims and rehabilitating them and if they became handicapped, they would be given identity cards by the Department of Disabled and monthly honorarium for continuing the treatment. They would also be provided with equipment, free of cost.

The Department of Women and Child Welfare would help them in getting jobs and training to them. Their children would be given education.

A high-level committee, headed by the Principal Secretary (Home) had been constituted to look into such complaints and provide suitable relief to the women.

Abdul Azeem, V.S.Ugrappa, Manohar Maski and “Mukhyamantri” Chandru spoke.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka