{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,28]],"date-time":"2026-01-28T06:50:56Z","timestamp":1769583056134,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":62,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2012,9,1]],"date-time":"2012-09-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1346457600000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/page\/policies\/text-and-data-mining-license"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Med Leg J"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2012,9]]},"abstract":"<jats:p> Acid attacks, especially on women, have seen an alarming growth in India over the last decade. While these attacks can be attributed to various factors such as the social weakness of women in a male-dominated society, the situation is exacerbated by the general neglect of the lawmakers. As acid is inexpensive and easily available, it serves as an ideal weapon for the perpetrators. Further, as this offence is bailable in certain situations, the punishment does not act as a sufficient deterrent in most cases. This paper describes the horrendous effects that acid attacks have on the victims physically, psychologically and socially. It also examines the contemporary laws governing acid attacks on victims and offenders. Ideas for a better legal approach will also be examined with special reference to acid attacks as a crime, and the validity of specific legal provisions for female victims. <\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1258\/mlj.2012.012020","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2012,10,1]],"date-time":"2012-10-01T04:11:03Z","timestamp":1349064663000},"page":"110-120","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":17,"title":["Weak Laws against Acid Attacks on Women: an Indian Perspective"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"80","author":[{"given":"Nehaluddin","family":"Ahmad","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Associate Professor of Law, Sultan Sharif Ali Islamic University, Brunei Darussalam"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2012,9,29]]},"reference":[{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C1","unstructured":"Bandyopadhyay M, Rahman Khan M. Loss of face: violence against women in South Asia. In: Manderson L, Bennett LR eds. Violence Against Women in Asian Society. London and New York: Routledge, 2003:186 also see http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Acid_throwing, last accessed 19 May 2012"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C2","unstructured":"Chavis ME. Meena, Heroine of Afghanistan. New York: St. Martin's Press, 2003; see also http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Acid_throwing, last accessed 19 May 2012"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C3","unstructured":"Mydans S. Vengeance destroys faces, and souls, in Cambodia. The New York Times, 22 July 2001; see also http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Acid_throwing, last accessed 19 May 2012"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C4","unstructured":"The Independent (Asia). Acid Attacks: Bangladesh's Hidden Victims, 15 July 2011. See http:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/news\/world\/asia\/acid-attacks-bangladeshs-hidden-victims-2307990.html (last accessed 10 February 2012)"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C5","unstructured":"Acid Survivors Foundation, Bangladesh, annual report 2009:15, see http:\/\/www.acidsurvivors.org\/AR_2009.pdf (last accessed 10 January 2012). See also Bahl T and Syed MH. Encyclopaedia of the Muslim World. Delhi: Anmol Publications, 2004:1163; see also http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Acid_throwing, last accessed 19 May 2012"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C6","unstructured":"Md. Shahidul Bari & Md. Iqbal Mahmud Choudhury. Acid Burns in Bangladesh. Annals of Burns & Fire Disasters 2001;14:115; see also http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Acid_throwing, last accessed 19 May 2012"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C7","unstructured":"BBC News UK, 14 July 2010. Model Katie Piper launched a Foundation. Piper suffered third-degree burns after her former boyfriend arranged for someone to throw acid in her face in 2008 and was left partially blind. See http:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/10629690 (last accessed 10 January 2012)"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C8","unstructured":"CBS News. The Early Show national correspondent Jeff Glor reported on 9 September 2010 that Derri Velarde had just arrived home when she was viciously attacked with acid. For the second time in just one week, a woman was attacked by an acid-wielding stranger, see http:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/stories\/2010\/09\/09\/earlyshow\/main6849122.shtml (last accessed 11 January 2012)"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C9","unstructured":"Sim Leoi Leoi, Martin Carvalho, Rahimy Rahim. The Star\/Asia News Network, 8 October 2011. Big rise in acid attacks in Malaysia. The number of corrosive liquid attack cases has risen dramatically this year with 45 cases, Deputy Home Minister Datuk Abu Seman Yusop said. See http:\/\/www.asianewsnet.net\/home\/news.php?sec=1&id=22577 (last accessed 10 February 2012)"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Anwary A. Acid Violence and Medical Care in Bangladesh: Women's Activism as Carework. Gender and Society 2003:17:306 also see http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Acid_throwing, last accessed 19 May 2012","DOI":"10.1177\/0891243202250851"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C11","unstructured":"Vij K. Textbook of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology: Principles and Practice. 5th Edition. New Delhi: Elsevier, 2003:462. Also see http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Acid_throwing, last accessed 19 May 2012"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C12","unstructured":"Swanson J. Acid attacks: Bangladesh's efforts to stop the violence. Harvard Health Policy Review 2002:3; see also http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Acid_throwing, last accessed 19 May 2012"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C13","unstructured":"Bandyopadhyay M, Rahman Khan M. Loss of face: violence against women in South Asia. In: Manderson L, Bennett LR eds.Violence Against Women in Asian Society. London and New York: Routledge, 2003:186"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C14","unstructured":"Law Commission of India, 226th Report. Proposal for the inclusion of acid attacks as specific offences in the Indian Penal Code and a law for compensation for victims of crime, July 2009:9; see also Tang Chhin Sothy, Project against Torture. Cambodian League for the Promotion & Defense of Human Rights (LICADHO), Phnom Penh, Cambodia"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C15","unstructured":"Karmakar RN. Forensic Medicine and Toxicology. Kolkata: Academic Publishers, 2003:121; see also note 14"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C16","unstructured":"Supra note 12, Swanson, Jordan,14"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C17","unstructured":"The Times of India, Mumbai. Acid attack on woman, 1 February 2012. See http:\/\/articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/2012-02-01\/mumbai\/31012251_1_acid-attack-goregaon-ticket-booking-office (last accessed 5 February 2012)"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C18","unstructured":"The Times of India, Chandigarh. Acid attack victims still waiting for justice, 17 July 2011. See http:\/\/articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/2011-07-17\/chandigarh\/29784251_1_anu-acid-attack-victims-pgis (last accessed 5 February 2012)"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C19","unstructured":"One India News, Kolkata. Unidentified miscreants threw acid on a ladies compartment of a suburban train injuring as many as ten women, 12 August 2010. See http:\/\/news.oneindia.in\/2010\/08\/12\/wb-acid-attack-on-local-train-10-women-injured.html (last accessed 10 Jan 2012)"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C20","unstructured":"Law Commission of India, 266th Report (headed by Justice A R Lakshmanan). Proposal for the inclusion of acid attacks as specific offences in the Indian Penal Code and a law for compensation for victims of crime, July 2009"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C21","unstructured":"Ibid"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C22","unstructured":"Welsh J. It was like burning in hell: a comparative exploration of acid attack violence. Center for Global Initiatives on International Health. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina, 2009:32"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C23","unstructured":"Ibid"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C24","unstructured":"Dasgupta S D. Acid attacks. In: Renzetti C M, Edleson J L. Encyclopedia of Interpersonal Violence. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 2008:5\u20137; see also note 14"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C25","unstructured":"Supra, note 14. 226th Report, Law Commission of India, 11, and see also Tang Chhin Sothy, Project against Torture. Cambodian League for the Promotion & Defense of Human Rights (LICADHO), Phnom Penh, Cambodia at http:\/\/www.licadho-cambodia.org\/reports\/files\/41acid%20report%20English.pdf (last accessed 14 August 2012)"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C26","unstructured":"Chandrasekhar K. What is \u201cacid\u201d mark on Asia? An opinion of Dr K Chandrasekhar, Eenadu, Telugu News Daily, 21 July 2009. Also see Tang Chhin Sothy, Project Against Torture. Cambodian League for the Promotion & Defense of Human Rights (LICADHO), Phnom Penh, Cambodia at http:\/\/www.licadho-cambodia.org\/reports\/files\/41acid%20report%20English.pdf (last accessed 14 August 2012)"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C27","unstructured":"Ibid"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C28","unstructured":"Supra note 14, 226th Report, Law Commission of India, 13"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C29","unstructured":"Tang Chhin Sothy, Project Against Torture. Cambodian League for the Promotion & Defense of Human Rights (LICADHO), Phnom Penh, Cambodia at http:\/\/www.licadho-cambodia.org\/reports\/files\/41acid%20report%20English.pdf (last accessed 14 August 2012)"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C30","unstructured":"Ibid and see 226th Report, Law Commission of India, 11"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C31","unstructured":"Supra note 10, Afroza Anwary,307\u2013308"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C32","unstructured":"Supra note 14, 226th Report, Law Commission of India, 12\u201313"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C33","unstructured":"Supra note 10, Afroza Anwary, 306\u2013307"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C34","unstructured":"Supra note 14, 226th Report, Law Commission of India, 22"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Supra note 10, Afroza Anwary, 306\u2013308","DOI":"10.1038\/010306b0"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C36","unstructured":"Ramesh Dey v State of West Bengal2007 (3) CHN 775"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C37","unstructured":"Ram Charittar v State of Uttar Pradesh. Cri. App. 766 of 2006 (SC) (unreported)"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C38","unstructured":"The Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, First Schedule"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C39","unstructured":"Ibid"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C40","unstructured":"Supra note 14, 226th Report, Law Commission of India, 42"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C41","unstructured":"Cri. App. 1078 of 2004 (Madras HC) (unreported)"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C42","unstructured":"State (Delhi Administration) v Mewa Singh5 (1969) DLT 506;Syed Shafique Ahmed v State of Maharashtra2002 Cri LJ 1403"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C43","unstructured":"Bagashree S & Chandrashekhar M V. The \u201cacid test\u201d: will government regulate sale of deadly chemicals? Hindu, 5 February 2007. See http:\/\/www.hindu.com\/2007\/02\/05\/stories\/2007020519590100.htm (last accessed 23 January 2012)"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C44","unstructured":"Supra note 15. Karmakar RN, 89"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C45","unstructured":"Schmalleger F. Criminal Law Today: An Introduction with Capstone Cases. 3rd edn. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2005: 228. See http:\/\/wps.pearsoncustom.com\/wps\/media\/objects\/2426\/2484551\/CJ140_Ch02.pdf (last accessed 10 January 2012)"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C46","unstructured":"Tulshidas Kanolkar v State of GoaAIR 2004 SC 978"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C47","unstructured":"The Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, First Schedule"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C48","unstructured":"Delhi Domestic Working Women's Forum v Union of India[1995] 1 SCC 14"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C49","unstructured":"AIR 1997 SC 3011"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C50","unstructured":"Domitus Ulpian (Gnaeus Domitius Annius Ulpianus), Roman jurist (c. AD 170\u2013228)"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C51","unstructured":"The Constitution of India 1950, Article 15 (3)"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C52","unstructured":"Anjali Roy v State of West BengalAIR 1952 Cal 825"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C53","unstructured":"AIR 1995 SC 1648"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C54","unstructured":"Both the Law Commission of India and the National Commission for Women recommend adding a Section 326A to the Indian Penal Code and a Section 114B to the Indian Evidence Code. Law Commission of India Report, at 43\u201344; National Commission for Women, Prevention of Offences (By Acids) Act 2008 \u2013 Draft Bill (2008)"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C55","unstructured":"Supra note 14, 226th Report, Law Commission of India, 43"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C56","unstructured":"Supranote 14, 226th Report, Law Commission of India, 44"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C57","unstructured":"National Commission for Women. Prevention of Offences (by Acids) Act 2008 (draft Bill). See http:\/\/ncw.nic.in\/PDFFiles\/OFFENCES_BY_ACIDS.pdf (last accessed 10 January 2012)"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C58","unstructured":"Ibid"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C59","unstructured":"Ibid"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C60","unstructured":"Supra note 14, 226th Report, Law Commission of India, 14"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C61","unstructured":"Supra note 40, S Bagashree & M V Chandrashekhar"},{"key":"bibr-MLJ-12-020C62","unstructured":"Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women, G.A. Res. 48\/104, UN Doc. A\/RES\/48\/104, 20 December 1993. See http:\/\/www.un.org\/documents\/ga\/res\/48\/a48r104.htm (last accessed 15 January 2012)"}],"container-title":["Medico-Legal Journal"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1258\/mlj.2012.012020","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1258\/mlj.2012.012020","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1258\/mlj.2012.012020","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,4]],"date-time":"2025-03-04T17:52:06Z","timestamp":1741110726000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/10.1258\/mlj.2012.012020"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2012,9]]},"references-count":62,"journal-issue":{"issue":"3","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2012,9]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1258\/mlj.2012.012020"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1258\/mlj.2012.012020","relation":{},"ISSN":["0025-8172","2042-1834"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0025-8172","type":"print"},{"value":"2042-1834","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2012,9]]}}}