4 shops sealed, 3 arrested for selling acid illegally in Gr Noida

Four shops were sealed and three persons arrested in Greater Noida Wednesday in connection with illegal sale of acid, officials said.

A campaign was carried out by the district administration to check the open sale of acid, which is prohibited by the law, at local shops in Dadri which resulted in the action, they said.

"During the inspection, Pankaj Traders, Shri Krishna Paints, Ganpati Paints and Monica Traders were found selling acid without any license," Subdivisional Magistrate, Dadri, Rajeev Kumar said.

"All the four shops were sealed and the owners of the three arrested. The owner of Monica Traders, which is the main supplier of acid in the area, apparently got a tip-off about the raid and managed to escape," he said.

Altogether, 68 litres of acid was found from these shops and has been taken in administration's custody, Kumar said warning stringent action against those illegally selling acid in open markets.

The Supreme Court had in 2013 directed all states and Union Territories to frame rules to regulate sale of acids and other corrosive substances in the wake of rising crime against women in which acid was used.

In September that year, the central government, in compliance with the apex court direction, had asked all the states to ban across-the-counter sale of acid and impose penalty of Rs 50,000 on violators.

Last month, a 22-year-old woman was attacked with acid by her two brothers who were opposed to her relationship with a man. The woman was hospitalised in Delhi with critical injuries.