Acid Attacks Will Now Attract Life Imprisonment

The Telangana Cabinet of Ministers on Thursday gave its approval to amend a Central legislation - Poisons Act, 1919 - enhancing the punishment for acid attacks to life imprisonment.

As per sources, the Cabinet approved adding Section 6 (A), which stipulates that a police inspector or Munsif Magistrate can be authorized to investigate the cases, Section 6 (B), which enhances punishment to a minimum of 10 years and maximum of life sentence, and Section 6 (C), which makes the acid attacks cognizable and non-bailable. With the addition of three new Sections, the Telangana government will pass a Bill and send it to the President for approval.

The punishment also includes payment of fine equal to the expenditure incurred by the victims for the treatment. In case the victim dies, the fine is payable to their legal heir.

This comes after the Supreme Court's judgment back in 2013, following a petition filed by an acid attack survivor, asking the Centre and the State governments to revise laws to come down heavily on the culprits behind acid attacks. Up until now, the punishment for acid attacks under Section 6 was three months and a fine of Rs. 500 for the first offence, and six months and Rs. 1,000 for the second and subsequent offences.