PARIVARTAN KENDRA Vs. UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS

JUDGEMENT

(1.) By way of present writ petition filed in public interest under Article 32 of the Constitution of India, the petitioner a registered NGO seeks to highlight the plight of the acid attack victims and the inadequacy how the compensation payable to the victims as per the orders of the Apex Court in Laxmi vs. Union of India (in Writ Petition (Crl.) No.129 of 2006).

(2.) The petitioner highlighting the plight of two dalit girls of Bihar, who were attacked around midnight of October 21, 2012 by four assailants who threw acid on the face and bodies of the girls while they were sleeping on their rooftops. It is alleged that these young assailants used to harass the elder sister on the streets, market and in the auto rickshaw while she was going to computer classes or to work. This victim wanted to be a computer engineer and used to go to college regularly and supported her family working as a daily wage worker. However, these assailants used to make sexual advances towards her, pass lewd comments, and also used to pull her dupatta. They terrorized her and her family members by roaming near her house on their motorcycles, tore the curtains of their house and told her that if she did not heed to their demands and agree to have sexual relations with them they would damage and destroy her face.

(3.) In the aforesaid midnight, while both sisters were sleeping, assailants Anil Rai, Ghanshyam Rai, Badal and Raja climbed upon the roof and Anil covered the elder sister's mouth so that she could not scream and Ghanshyam and Raja held her legs so that she could not move. When Anil Rai was pouring the acid on her body and face, the acid also fell on her sister's body and burnt her arm. After the attack, these men did not make any effort to flee as they wanted to stay and enjoy the moment. As the acid started burning the girls, the girls started screaming and crying waking up their parents, who rushed to the rooftop. Upon this, the assailants fled. The victims were rushed to the Patna Medical College and Hospital. According to the petitioner, the doctors arrived only the next morning and did not give them proper treatment and the family had to buy all the medicines on their own. Thereafter, victims' family was given Rs.2,42,000/- from the Government of Bihar for the treatment of both. It has been contended by the petitioner that till the filing of this writ petition more than Rs. 5 lakhs had already been spent on their treatment and still the victims require more treatment.