5 years on: Family gets 10-year RI for acid attack on 3 sisters, infant

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Incidentally, it was exactly five years ago on October 4, 2010, that they were attacked by their sister.When their sister and her family flung a vessel full of acid at them, Saira was holding her toddler in her arms. Now five years old, Alina still writhes in pain.

The three accused — Iqbal (47), Najma (36) and Zeeshan (24) — will also have to compensate the sisters and little Alina with a fine of Rs 50,000 each. While Monday’s verdict was a relief, their path to recovery is far from over. “I still remember our families were watching Pratigya on television when they had barged in,” Daulat Bi recollects. With 35 per cent burns on her face, chest, arms and legs, she still has to undergo three major surgeries on her left eye, but has run out of money.

“I sold my houses and jewellery to fund our treatment which has cost Rs 10 lakh till now,” she says, pointing to a photo of hers taken before the attack. Daulat Bi used to work as a cosmetics professional with a US-based firm. Her sisters credit her for saving their lives by liquidating her savings. “Iqbal had brought the acid in a large aluminium vessel,” she continued, “while Najma and her son were carrying bottles of the liquid.”

And then all was over in a moment. “The second the acid hit our skins, we had a freezing cold sensation. It happened in a jiffy and my senses were numbed,” reminisces Saira, who suffered a 17 per cent burn. Saira and her daughter had to also be treated for maggots in their wounds. Saira was a salesgirl for a furniture outlet in the city. With her damaged face and body, the owner of the store asked her not to resume work when she had recovered. Reshma used to stitch clothes to make a living. A divorcee, she now looks after her four children with difficulty.

“Daulat Bi is taking care of one of my children in addition to three of hers. Jhadoo bhi karne ko tayiyar hain hum log sarkar ke liye (We are willing to work as government sweepers),” she said. The three are all praise for the lawyers of Human Rights Law Network, specifically advocate Archana Rupwate.

aamir.khan@expressindia.com