Srinagar: Kashmir, in the last eight years, witnessed four acid attacks and the accused in all four cases stood arrested. On January 2, 2013, Riyaz Ahmad Nath, a mechanic, threw acid on a woman at Khan Pora Baghaat here after she declined his marriage proposal. The woman lost an eye in the acid attack.
Following the incident, Police Station Sadder registered an FIR under various criminal sections of RPC and after the investigation in the case, filed a charge sheet in the court.
Subsequently, the court charged the accused for committing offences under Sections 307 (attempt to murder), 362 (causing damage to vital organ), 354 (outrage of modesty) of Ranbir Penal Code (RPC).
After framing charges against the accused, the court directed the prosecution to lead evidence in support of its case.
The prosecution produced 17 witnesses before the court in support of its contention while the counsel representing the accused brought three witnesses in defense.
On December 11, 2015, a 22-year-old law student was grievously injured in the acid attack near Nowshera on the outskirts of Srinagar when she was on her way to her college.
It was only after a fortnight following the attack, that the police arrested the accused duo Irshad Amin Wani alias Sunny and Muhammad Omar for their alleged involvement in the incident.
The police sought punishment for the accused on three counts under Sections 326-A (voluntary throwing acid to cause grievous injury), 120-B-9 (criminal conspiracy) and 201 (destruction of evidence) of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC).
If proven, these sections can get rigorous imprisonment for 10 years, which can be extended up to life imprisonment.
On October 8, 2021, the police arrested a man for throwing acid on a 17-year-old girl in Kellar area of south Kashmir’s Shopian district, three days after the incident.
“Case registered in Police Station Kellar, relating to the acid attack on a girl at Kellar Shopian solved. Police raided the specified location and after strenuous efforts arrested the accused person,” police had said. Pertinently, the teenage girl had suffered burn injuries on shoulder after the accused splashed the acid at her on Tuesday. While the attacker fled from the spot, the girl was hospitalised for the burn injury.
It may be mentioned that the recent acid attack took place in old Srinagar where a 24-year old girl was attacked.