The Supreme Court of India has declared acid attacks a crime more heinous than murder, citing the lifelong physical and psychological trauma inflicted upon victims.
A two-judge bench led by Justice B.V. Nagarathna delivered the stinging rebuke while hearing a plea regarding victim compensation. The court observed that while murder ends a life instantly, acid violence forces a survivor to endure a “slow death” every single day, often marked by social stigma, disfigurement, and recurring medical procedures.
The bench did not stop at moral condemnation. It directed the Union Government to establish a National Rehabilitation Fund, aiming to standardize support for survivors across state lines. Currently, compensation varies wildly from one state to another, leaving many victims to navigate a patchwork of bureaucracy while struggling to pay for reconstructive surgeries.
“The perpetrator of such an act does not just aim to kill,” the court noted. “They intend to destroy the victim’s identity and dignity.”
The ruling underscores a significant gap in the current legal and social framework. Despite stricter laws introduced after the 2013 amendments—which categorized acid attacks as a specific offense under the Indian Penal Code—conviction rates remain low. Prosecutors often struggle with witness intimidation, and victims frequently lack the financial resources to pursue lengthy litigation.
Legal experts have long argued that the existing compensation schemes are insufficient. A single reconstructive surgery can cost hundreds of thousands of rupees; most survivors require a dozen or more. The proposed National Rehabilitation Fund is intended to bypass state-level delays, providing immediate access to medical care, psychological counseling, and vocational training.
The court has requested the Ministry of Home Affairs to file a status report on the fund’s implementation within six weeks.
For the thousands of women who survive these attacks annually, the court’s recognition of their suffering as a “living death” is a rare acknowledgement of the reality behind the statistics. Whether the government can move past administrative inertia to create a functional, nationwide safety net remains the next hurdle.
