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Justice at Last: Two decade wait ends for acid attack survivor as police arrest accused
This comes months after additional director general of police (DGP) Rajeev Krishna visited Sheroes Hang Out, a café run by acid attack survivors in Agra.
AGRA A victim of an acid attack has finally received justice after two decades, as the accused, who allegedly inflicted the horrific act in 2002, was apprehended and subsequently sent to jail by the Aligarh police. The tireless efforts of then additional director general of police (Agra Zone), Rajeev Krishna, led to the long-overdue resolution of the case.
“The recent actions bring immense satisfaction to all of us, as justice has been served to the victim after an agonising two-decade wait. The case was initially registered in Agra and subsequently transferred to Aligarh, where the acid attack occurred in 2002. The investigation was closely monitored, culminating in the arrest of the accused on a Friday, followed by his incarceration on the following Saturday,” stated Dr Preetinder Singh, the commissioner of police at Agra Commissionerate.
This comes months after additional director general of police (DGP) Rajeev Krishna visited Sheroes Hang Out, a café run by acid attack survivors in Agra. It was during an event organised in January 2023, on the initiative of the Civil Society of Agra, under the leadership of activist Anil Sharma, that ADG Agra Zone became aware of the harrowing ordeal endured by Rukaiyya, the acid attack victim.
The incident took place in a neighbourhood within the jurisdiction of the Roravar police station in Aligarh when Rukaiyya had visited her elder sister’s home. Asif, her brother-in-law, driven by one-sided love, callously threw acid on Rukaiyya when she rejected his proposal in 2002. However, due to family dynamics, the victim’s family couldn’t file a complaint as her elder sister was married into the same household.
“On the initiative of ADG Agra Zone, Rajeev Krishna, we succeeded in registering the case 10 months ago at the Itimad-ud-daula police station in Agra against the accused Asif. The investigation was subsequently transferred to the Roravar police station in Aligarh. Diligent monitoring of the investigation eventually led to the arrest of the accused in Aligarh on a Friday, with his subsequent incarceration on Saturday,” said Dr Preetinder Singh, underscoring his commitment to the case after meeting Rukaiyya at Sheroes Hang Out Café.
“The outcome is a source of immense satisfaction for us, particularly in the context of our ongoing mission, Mission Shakti Phase IV, aimed at motivating women and girls to speak out against injustice and harassment. This case will undoubtedly serve as an inspiration for other women and girls to come forward and raise their voices against any form of mistreatment and injustice they may have faced,” commissioner Agra emphasised.
Dr Preetinder Singh pointed out, “Another case of an acid attack has been registered in Agra where initially no complaint was filed. In the absence of a case registration, acid attack survivors often find it challenging to secure the compensation to which they are entitled.”
