In a shocking case that has exposed deep systemic failures, a woman who survived a horrific acid attack in 2009 is still fighting for justice and closure after 16 long years. Her ordeal, presented before the Supreme Court, has become a stark symbol of the prolonged suffering caused by procedural delays and the urgent need to recognize acid attack survivors as persons with disabilities.
A Life Changed in an Instant
On November 19, 2009, a 26-year-old MBA student and counsellor at Punjab Technical University's learning centre in Haryana was stepping out of her office. A man, his face covered, was waiting on the road. Without warning, he hurled acid directly at her face. "He threw it straight at my face. From that moment, everything changed," she recounted. The vicious attack resulted in 90% burns on her face and the total loss of vision in one eye. The trauma caused her other eye to deteriorate, forcing doctors to stitch it shut for two-and-a-half years to protect it. Despite multiple surgeries, her left eye only functions partially today.
A 16-Year Odyssey Through a Broken System
The path to justice was marred by neglect and delay from the very beginning. Although she gave her statement to Panipat police immediately, no substantive action was taken for nearly four years. "They didn't interrogate anyone. No proper case was registered. No accused was questioned," she told TOI. It was only in 2013, with the help of judicial officer Dr. Parminder Kaur while seeking compensation for her medical expenses, that her case was reopened for criminal trial.
The legal battle that followed was arduous. In 2014, after she and her lawyer began receiving threats, she had to approach the Supreme Court to get the case transferred to Delhi's Rohini district court. The attacker, who was 17 years old at the time of the crime, was finally convicted in 2015 by the Juvenile Justice Board and sent to an observation home. Three other adult accused are currently out on bail, having spent only a month or two in jail each.
A Beacon of Hope Amidst the Struggle
On Thursday, the Supreme Court bench expressed shock when details of her 16-year-long legal battle were presented during a hearing on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking disability recognition for acid attack victims. Her file stood as a tragic example of how delays compound a survivor's trauma. "Fifteen years later, I am still waiting for closure, but my fight for justice, for myself and for others won't stop," she declared.
Transforming her pain into purpose, she has been helping other survivors since 2021 through the Brave Souls Foundation. Her relentless fight underscores a critical gap in the system—the lack of official disability status for survivors, which would grant them crucial rights and support for their lifelong medical and rehabilitation needs.
