Lok Sabha Question No. 3801 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-16
Subject: Acid Attacks
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: Rama Devi, Vishnu Dayal Ram

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †3801

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 16 TH  JULY, 2019/ ASHADHA 25, 1941 (SAKA)

ACID ATTACKS

†3801. SHRIMATI RAMA DEVI: SHRI VISHNU DAYAL RAM:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) whether incidents of acid attack on women and girls are taking place in the country;

(b)  if  so,  the  details  of  the  incidents of acid attack on women and girls during the last three years, State-wise;

- (c)  the  details  of  the  laws  for  taking  action  against  the  criminals along with the rules for granting compensation in such cases;

(d)  whether  the  existing  system  has  been  found  to  be  lethargic  in stopping  the  incidents  of  acid  attacks  due  to  which  targeted  success could not be achieved; and

(e) if so, the details thereof and the corrective steps being taken in this regard?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)

(a) & (b): National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) compiles and publishes  statistics  on  crimes  in  its  publication  'Crime  in  India'.  The published reports are available till the year 2016. Details of State/UT-wise cases registered for acid attack on women (including girls) during 20142016 are available at Annexure.

## L.S.US.Q.NO.3801 FOR 16.07.2019

(c): The  offence  of  acid  attack  is  punishable  under  Section  326A  and 326B of Indian Penal Code (IPC). Further, Section 166B of IPC (read with Section 357C of Code of Criminal Procedure (Cr. P.C.)) provides, that no acid  attack  victim  will  be  denied  treatment  by  any  hospital,  public  or private under any pretext and erring hospital/ clinic violating the legislative provisions is punishable with imprisonment up to one year or fine or both.  Section 357C of Cr. P.C. also provides that free treatment to be provided to the acid attack victims. Section 357A of Cr. P.C. provides that compensation under Victim Compensation Scheme is to be paid to the victims.  Section 357B of Cr. P.C. further provides that compensation payable under section 357A shall be in addition to the payment of fine to victim.    National  Legal  Services  Authority  (NALSA)  has  formulated  a Compensation Scheme for Women Victims/ Survivors of Sexual Assault/ other crimes - 2018 regarding the compensation to be given to Women Victims/Survivors  of  Sexual  Assault/  other  crimes,  which  also  includes cases of acid attacks. The Scheme has been circulated by the Ministry of Women  &  Child  Development  and  the  Ministry  of  Home  Affairs  to  all States/UTs for compliance.

(d) & (e): 'Police' and  'Public Order' are State subjects under the Seventh  Schedule  to  the  Constitution  of  India.  The  responsibilities  to maintain law and order, protection of life and property of the citizens rest with  the  respective  State  Governments.  The  State  Governments  are competent  to  deal  with  such  offences  under  the  extant  provisions  of laws. However, the Ministry of Home Affairs has issued a comprehensive Advisory on 20 th  April 2015 on taking steps to implement the provisions of IPC,  expediting  cases  of  Acid  Attack,  and  to  provide  treatment  and compensation to victims. This advisory is available on www.mha.gov.in. The Ministry of Home Affairs has also circulated the Model Poison Rules on 30.8.2013 to all States/UTs for notifying the same to regulate the sale of acid in respective State/UT.

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## ANNEXURE L.S.US.Q.NO.3801 FOR 16.07.2019

State/UT-wise Cases Registered (CR) under Acid  Attack  (Section  326A IPC) for Crime against Women during 2014-2016

|                   |                                  | 2014   | 2015   | 2016   |
|-------------------|----------------------------------|--------|--------|--------|
| SL                | State/UT                         | CR     | CR     | CR     |
| 1 2               | Andhra Pradesh Arunachal Pradesh | 5 0    | 11 0   | 3 0    |
| 3                 | Assam                            | 0      | 1      | 8      |
| 4                 | Bihar                            | 2      | 5      | 2      |
| 5                 | Chhattisgarh                     | 0      | 0      | 0      |
| 6                 | Goa                              | 0      | 0      | 1      |
| 7                 | Gujarat                          | 5      | 3      | 6      |
| 8                 | Haryana                          | 5      | 3      | 8      |
| 9                 | Himachal Pradesh                 | 0      | 1      | 0      |
| 10                | Jammu& Kashmir                   | 1      | 0      | 0      |
| 11                | Jharkhand                        | 1      | 0      | 0      |
| 12                | Karnataka                        | 2      | 1      | 2      |
| 13                | Kerala                           | 1      | 5      | 9      |
| 14                | Madhya Pradesh                   | 7      | 5      | 4      |
| 15                | Maharashtra                      | 2      | 6      | 2      |
| 16                | Manipur                          | 0      | 0      | 0      |
| 17                | Meghalaya                        | 0      | 0      | 0      |
| 18                | Mizoram                          | 0      | 0      | 0      |
| 19                | Nagaland                         | 0      | 0      | 0      |
| 20                | Odisha                           | 8      | 5      | 12     |
| 21                | Punjab                           | 5      | 2      | 5      |
| 22                | Rajasthan                        | 3      | 0      | 2      |
| 23                | Sikkim                           | 1      | 0      | 0      |
| 24                | Tamil Nadu                       | 6      | 7      | 1      |
| 25                | Telangana                        | 0      | 1      | 0      |
| 26                | Tripura                          | 2      | 0      | 1      |
| 27                | Uttar Pradesh                    | 42     | 51     | 44     |
| 28                | Uttarakhand                      | 0      | 0      | 0      |
| 29                | West Bengal                      | 27     | 20     | 40     |
|                   | TOTAL STATE(S)                   | 125    | 127    | 150    |
| 30                | A&NIslands                       | 0      | 0      | 0      |
| 31                | Chandigarh                       | 0      | 0      | 0      |
| 32                | D&N Haveli                       | 0      | 0      | 0      |
| 33                | Daman& Diu                       | 0      | 0      | 0      |
| 34                | Delhi UT                         | 12     | 13     | 10     |
| 35                | Lakshadweep                      | 0      | 0      | 0      |
| 36                | Puducherry                       | 0      | 0      | 0      |
|                   | TOTAL UT(S)                      | 12     | 13     | 10     |
| TOTAL (ALL INDIA) | TOTAL (ALL INDIA)                | 137    | 140    | 160    |

Source: Crime in India

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