Here’s why acid attacks still continue to destroy lives

Despite the Supreme Court's ban on OTC sale of acid except under specific conditions, it is rather easy to obtain a bottle of acid at local grocery stores

Last week, I went to my local kirana store and bought a bottle of ‘acid’. It was one of those neighbourhood shops that stocks everything from groceries to greens, to cheap Made-in-China toys, to household germ killers. I wanted acid to clean my bathroom. So the friendly shopkeeper called out to his assistant to get the ‘acid’.

“Do I need to wear gloves or any protective clothing,” I asked. “No, you can either use it as is, or dilute it,” he replied. The shopkeeper did not ask me for either age-proof or ID. The other patrons around me saw nothing amiss, either. They went about their purchases. So for just Rs 60, I gingerly carried a bottle of ‘acid’ home. Life went on as usual.

But should it have? Shouldn't we all be more concerned that acid can be bought so easily?

The Supreme Court has laid down a number of stringent guidelines against such sale or purchase of acid in order to prevent acid attacks. For example, it has banned over the counter sale of acid unless the seller maintains a log/register recording the sale of acid which will contain the details of the person to whom acid is sold and the quantity sold. Moreover, all sellers are required to sell acid only after the buyer has shown a photo ID issued by the government which also has the address of the person. The reason/purpose for procuring acid must be explained. And no acid can be sold to any person below 18-years of age. That is not all, the stocks of acid must be declared by the seller with the concerned sub-Divisional Magistrate (sDM) within 15 days.

How did these guidelines come into being? Because a gutsy teen did not let a horrific acid attack destroy her dreams or her life. Laxmi Agarwal was just 15 when she was attacked with sulphuric acid by a 32-year-old who was angry because she rebuffed him. The teen did not just overcome the heinous crime committed upon her, she filed a PIL (Public Interest Litigation) in the SC. This led to changes in the criminal justice system and to setting up of a rehabilitation scheme for survivors of acid attacks. Yes, the same Laxmi whose life has been portrayed by Deepika Padukone in Chhapaak, released this month.

The actor has been lauded for her role as acid attack survivor Malti. In the run-up to the movie’s release, Padukone was present at a protest in Jawaharlal Nehru University. Some on social media hailed her a ‘shero’; others spewed vitriol calling her ‘anti-national’. Padukone, a co-producer of Chhapaak through her new company Ka Productions, has been undeterred. She has actively promoted the movie across social networking platforms. There have been missteps. For instance, on TikTok, the actor challenged a makeup artiste to recreate her favourite ‘looks’ from three movies – Om Shanti Om, Piku and Chhapaak. Viewers (and I agree) pointed out that labelling her Chhapaak portrayal a ‘look’ trivialises the message of the movie.

But Padukone and team have done other things right. In a ‘social experiment’ (their words, not mine), they proved what I recently discovered – that acid is still freely available for sale. They sent actors as various characters – a drunk, a housewife, a husband, etc. – across Mumbai to “buy the strongest acid possible”. The ‘actors’ bought 24 bottles of acid, just like that.

In my case, the bottle I bought for just Rs 60 was being sold as a ‘toilet cleaner’. But it also bore the words HCL. HCL or hydrochloric acid (and in gaseous form, a highly toxic gas, hydrogen chloride) is a highly corrosive liquid.

Apathy and agony

I am disturbed that I got hold of acid so easily and that everyone around me appeared oblivious and apathetic to what I did. Why is it important that we care? Because an acid attack does not just burn away the skin, eyes, mouth, hair and clothes, or even, melt internal organs. Because it affects not just the intended victim, but also her family (the majority of those attacked are women, no surprises there). Because the survivor has to then, wait years for justice – Laxmi was attacked with acid in 2005. The SC judgement banning the OTC sale of acid (among others) came only in 2013.

But what is truly remarkable is that the acid cannot destroy the indomitable human spirit. Bright, beautiful and inspiring Laxmi Agarwal is herself living proof.

In seconds, an acid attack changes lives, causes irreversible and indescribable damage. As for the pain of the acid eating into skin, bones, hair, organs – I cannot even imagine what that feels like. And as I carried that bottle of ‘acid’ home, I found myself thinking that Rs 60 is the cost of a human life in our country.

(Divya Sreedharan has over 20 years' experience working across newspapers, magazines and digital media. She writes/blogs on gender, ageing and urban lifestyles and also teaches journalism)

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author’s own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH.