Delhi acid attack: Accused bought acid off Flipkart; 3 held
Three individuals have been arrested so far in connection with an acid attack on a 17-year-old girl in west Delhi on Wednesday morning, the police confirmed. All three suspects are being interrogated to establish the reason behind the heinous attack, the cops said. It is learned that the acid used in the attack was reportedly bought by the accused from the e-commerce website Flipkart.
Why does this story matter?
- Reportedly, two bike-borne men attacked a 17-year-old girl with acid under Delhi's Mohan Garden police station.
- The teenage victim was rushed to the Safdarjung Hospital, where she continues to undergo treatment, per reports.
- Later in the day, the police made their first arrest in the acid attack case after the victim raised suspicion over two people she knew.
DCW sends notice to Flipkart, Amazon
Since this development, the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) sent an official notice to Amazon and Flipkart over the "easy availability of acid." The cops said the attack was planned by 20-year-old Sachin Arora, who had a fallout with the victim in September. Arora was assisted by 19-year-old Harshit Aggarwal and 22-year-old Virender Singh to execute his plan, the police confirmed.
Swati Maliwal's Twitter post
17 साल की लड़की पर जो एसिड फेंका गया वो Flipkart से मंगाया था। Amazon पे भी ऐसिड बिक रहा है। सोचिए कितना आसान है किसी के लिए भी तेज़ाब ख़रीदना…बटन दबाओ, घर बैठे तेज़ाब की Home Delivery पाओ! मैं Flipkart और Amazon को नोटिस जारी कर रही हूँ, उनकी जवाबदेही तय होनी चाहिए! pic.twitter.com/aE15c2zbAO
— Swati Maliwal (@SwatiJaiHind) December 15, 2022
Prompt action from the cops
The police arrested all three accused within 12 hours, even after their best attempts to mislead the investigation. Preet Hooda, a senior police officer, confirmed that Arora bought the acid using his e-wallet. Thus far, the e-commerce portal has yet to release any response.
'Have to instill fear of immeasurable pain in these animals'
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Gautam Gambhir on Wednesday called for public execution of the people involved in the acid attack on the 17-year-old. The former cricketer took to Twitter and wrote: "Words can't do any justice. We have to instill fear of immeasurable pain in these animals. The boy who threw acid at the school girl needs to be publicly executed by authorities."
Know about India's acid sale ban
In 2013, the Supreme Court prohibited selling acid over the counter amid the increased number of acid attacks. The apex court also placed restrictions on those selling it- only licensed shopowners can sell acid; they must keep a note of who they are selling the acid to and must be registered. Furthermore, the buyer must also show ID proof and give a reason.
386 acid attack cases between 2018-22
Earlier in August, the Centre confirmed that 386 acid attack cases were registered between 2018 and 2022 on women. In his response in the Lok Sabha, minister Ajay Kumar Mishra said 62 people were convicted for the crime. He also emphasized the Centre's advisories to all states to evaluate the laws and ensure the strict regulation of the retail sale of acids and chemicals.
