Netball player acid attack case: Punjab govt to bear treatment

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said the state government will bear entire expenses for the treatment of the acid attack victim girl, a state-level netball player.
Condemning the attack on the player, who is a resident of Gurdaspur district and a class XII student, Badal further announced monetary compensation for her.
"The state government will incur the entire expenditure on the treatment of the severely injured acid attack victim," Badal said.
He said the financial compensation would be provided as per the policy of the state government under which Rs three lakh is provided to the victim of an acid attack in case of disfigurement of face and Rs 50,000 for other cases and injury.

Expressing solidarity with the victim, Badal said it was very unfortunate that this hapless girl became another victim of a heinous crime against humanity especially women.
He said the state government will take every step to ensure that exemplary punishment is awarded to the accused involved in such dastardly act.

"Such offenders do not deserve leniency and they will be dealt with as per the law of the land by meting out the severest of the severe punishment to them so that it could act as a deterrent for others too," he said.
The chief minister further said the state government would extend all cooperation and assistance to the victim's family in this hour of crisis.

The state government had already decided to give a special chance to the victim to appear in the class XII exams to ensure that her result was also declared with the rest of her peers.
Manpreet Singh alias Manna and his friend Ajit, both residents of Paiowali village in Amritsar, were arrested for attacking the player at Kahnuwan town Wednesday when she was going back home after writing her examination.