Inspiring stories of five acid attack survivors to know about
Acid attacks are the most horrendous and gruesome crimes that not only cause physical trauma but emotional and psychological trauma to victims. In India, acid attacks are a huge problem where the victims are usually women. However, there are many acid attack survivors who're determined not to let such crimes bring them down. Here are the inspiring stories of five acid attack survivors.
Laxmi Agarwal, who survived a gruesome acid attack when she was 15, has been an inspiration to many. In 2005, she was attacked for rejecting the advances of a 32-year-old man. She's now working to bring stricter laws on the sale of acid in India; she's also been supporting thousands of acid attack survivors. Deepika Padukone's upcoming movie Chhapaak is based on Laxmi's life.
Pragya Singh was attacked with acid only 12 days after her wedding in 2006. A man whose marriage proposal she had rejected threw acid on her face when she was traveling alone on a train. She lost sight in one eye and underwent 15 surgeries. Today, she runs an NGO named Atijeevan Foundation, which arranges surgeries/treatments for free for acid attack and burn survivors.
Daulat Bi Khan was 26 years old when she was attacked with acid by her elder sister and brother-in-law. She had to undergo many reconstruction surgeries after the assault. However, she didn't give up on life. She went on to start the Acid Survivors Saahas Foundation, based in Mumbai, which provides support, medical care, legal assistance, and employment opportunities for acid attack survivors.
Anmol Rodriguez was only two months old when her father attacked her and her mother with acid. Her mother succumbed to injuries but Anmol survived; she grew up in an orphanage. She decided to pursue a fashion career as she'd always been passionate about it. Today, the 23-year-old is not only a successful model but has also helped many acid attack survivors find jobs.
Acid attacks are often seen as a crime against women, but NCRB data shows that 40% of the victims are men. Meerut's 34-year-old businessman, Chandrahass Mishra, is one such victim who was attacked with acid in 2011 by his landlord's son for preventing him from harassing a woman. He is also an activist for acid attack survivors and works with several NGOs too.
