Srinagar: Anger poured in as protests and widespread condemnation on social media on Wednesday over an atrocious act of acid attack on a young girl in downtown Srinagar last evening.
Enraged over the act, the city witnessed several separate protests by students, social activists and elected corporators.
Besides, demanding capital punishment for the culprits, the protestors urged the government to bear all expenses for the best treatment of acid attack victim.
One such protest was held at Jehangir Chowk in Srinagar where the protestors denouncing the attack, demanded capital punishment for the culprits. Holding placards, they were seeking justice for the victim.
A 24-year-old girl was attacked with acid outside her home in Wantpora area on Tuesday evening. She sustained severe burn injuries on her face.
As per medicos, the face of the victim was completely burnt besides she sustained grievous injuries on her left hand. Police in Srinagar said that three persons were arrested for the attack.
“Whatever has happened is very wrong. A girl has been attacked with acid. Her soul, identity and face have been bruised. We condemn it and we are protesting here, demanding capital punishment for the guilty. We want the laws to be amended so that strictest possible punishment is meted out to the culprits. We won’t let such incidents happen here,” said Sheikh Saba, who is affiliated with White Globe organization. She was part of the protesters, who had gathered at Jehangir Chowk.
Another protest held at Hawal where protestors were holding placards which read “Hang the culprits, stop violence against women”, “You can just spoil her face, but her inner beauty and strength is unshakable.”
“We demand stern punishment for culprits and urge the government to bear all expenses for the best medical treatment of the acid attack victim,” the protestors demanded.
Scores of protestors also assembled at Press Enclave here demanding justice for the acid attack victim. They raised pro-justice slogans and demanded capital punishment for the culprits. Few corporators of Srinagar Municipal Corporation also joined this protest.
Social media also remained abuzz with the condemnation messages against acid attack with netizens demanding capital punishment for the culprits.
“We demand justice for the acid attack victim. The culprits are inhuman. We all condemn this act and demand capital punishment to culprits,” wrote one of the Facebook users.
Some people also lauded the effort of Srinagar police in cracking the case within 24 hours and arresting the culprits.
In Jammu, Apni Party women wing organized a protest demonstration in Gandhi Nagar against the acid attack on a young girl in Srinagar’s Usmani Colony Hawal.
The protesters demanded punishment for the accused persons under stringent laws.
Led by provincial president women wing Jammu Namrata Sharma, the party leaders and workers expressed solidarity with the victim, while protesting against the violent attack.
“The acid attack is highly condemnable and we stand with the victim’s family. We expect J&K Police to book the accused persons under strict laws so that it could be a lesson for others,” said Namrta addressing the protesters.
Namrta said that the incident had shaken everyone and there was dire need to counsel the youth and parents must take care of their children before it was too late for them as well.
Holding a protest, the protesters were demanding a special provision of compensation for the victim girls or women of acid attack and strict rules to be followed to punish the accused in an exemplary manner.
Namrta said, “The police must be made women friendly and a special unit of women police personnel in every district should be constituted so that the victims can easily access them.” She also appealed to the girls and women to report to the police whenever “they notice any stalking incident so that immediate steps to prevent such incidents can be taken.”