CM Bommai vows stringent laws to deal with rising acid attacks in Karnataka

With two acid attacks being reported in a span of few days, Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai said more stringent laws will be formulated to deal with the perpetrators of the crime.

Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday said more stringent laws will be formulated to deal with those attacking women with acid amid an uproar over the rise in such incidents in the state.

Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai. (File Photo)

"It is very unfortunate. We are mulling to further strengthen the existing laws to deal with those who indulge in acid attacks. We will come out with tough laws to deal with them in the coming days," Bommai was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

The chief minister added legal experts will be consulted to ensure stringent punishment is meted out to the perpetrators.

A day ago, a divorcee with three children sustained burn injuries when a man threw acid on her for turning down his marriage proposal at Sarakki in Bengaluru.

In a similar incident that happened about two months ago, a woman sustained serious burn injuries when a man, who had been harassing her for many months for marriage, threw a litre of acid on her at her workplace. The victim is recuperating at a private hospital, having undergone complications after going through multiple surgeries for her 35 per cent burn injuries.

The attacker in the case, Nagesh Babu, evaded police for two weeks and was finally arrested from neighbouring Tamil Nadu, where he was attending a religious programme in the disguise of a seer. Nagesh tried to escape after his arrest, following which police fired at his leg.

In a more recent incident, Bengaluru Police arrested a 30-year-old man from West Bengal for allegedly throwing acid at his colleague after a fight. The accused used to work at a jewellery shop and used dilute sulphuric acid which was kept at the store for daily work.

(With PTI Inputs)