'Judiciary, police, doctors need to be sensitive towards acid-attack survivors'

There is a need to sensitise the the judiciary, the police and the doctors about acid attack victims, Delhi Commission for Women consultant Shaheen Malik said here Thursday.

Herself an acid attack survivor, Malik stressed that despite an order of the Supreme Court towards monitoring the sale of acid, it was easily available in the market and being sold.

"Unless there is a proper restriction on sale of acid at retail shops, there will not be a drop in acid attack crimes," the consultant of the DCW's acid watch cell said during a symposium on women's rights at the Amity University.

"There is a need to sensitise the judiciary, police and doctors towards dealing with acid attack cases," she remarked, claiming that in many cases a victim has to prove at court that they have suffered from acid attack due to lack of proper filing of a case by the police at initial stages.

She pointed out to the ruling of the apex court that has mandated free treatment for acid attack victims, saying its implementation was very rare. "Several hospitals decline admission to the victim or they try to just save the life of the person rather than providing an efficient cosmetic surgery, if they come to know that the treatment has to be provided free of cost," she was quoted as saying in a release.

She said that not many victims are aware about their rights such as receiving free treatment and compensation since their rights are "exploited".

She remarked that over a period of time, stricter laws and favourable schemes have been introduced, but there has been minimal implementation on ground.