NCRB Report: Bengal tops acid attack cases for third year in a row, activists say ‘it’s just tip of iceberg’

Uttar Pradesh with 25 victims in 23 incidents and one incident of attempt to acid attack is second on the list, and Madhya Pradesh with 11 victims in seven incidents third.

Across the country, 124 incidents of acid attack were reported with 140 victims, while 38 incidents of attempt to acid attack cases were recorded.

In 2021, West Bengal had topped the list with 30 victims in 30 incidents of acid attack and 11 victims in attempt to acid attack, followed by UP – 21 victims in 18 cases and 5 victims of attempt to acid attack. Delhi had come a distant third with 8 victims of acid attack. That year, the country reported 102 incidents of acid attack with 107 victims and 48 attempt to acid attack cases.

In 2020, Bengal topped the list with 29 victims in 29 incidents of acid attacks and 5 victims in attempt to acid attack cases. Uttar Pradesh was again ranked second with 23 victims in 21 acid attack cases and 4 victims in attempt to acid attack cases. Karnataka and Odisha were ranked third with 6 victims in acid attack cases each. In 2020, 109 victims of 105 acid attack incidents were reported from across the country with 33 victims of attempt to acid attack cases.

“This is just the tip of the iceberg. We have seen that many cases go unreported too. The Supreme Court judgment of 2014 clearly stated that anyone buying acid will have to furnish identity proof and shops selling acid have to be registered. This has not been implemented anywhere. There is also a lack of awareness among the people. This makes acid easily available,” said Aparajita Bose, project –coordinator, Brave Souls Foundation, an NGO that works with acid attack survivors and their rehabilitation.

Acid attack cases are registered under section 326 A of the IPC, while attempt to acid attack cases are registered under section 326B of IPC.

“After the incidents, the victims face multiple problems from struggling with the cases in the courts for years, while accused get bail after a short time. The victims face a huge challenge when it comes to their rehabilitation. This is apart from the mental trauma and physical agony they undergo. You cannot imagine it,” Bose added.