On Wednesday, December 14, a 17-year-old girl who along with her younger sister was going to school was attacked by two bike-borne men with an acid-like substance. The incident took place in the Mohan Garden area in Dwarka, Delhi at around 7:30 am.
The victim is currently admitted to Safdarjung Hospital and her condition is stable, the minor girl has suffered 8% burn injuries. According to Dwarka Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Harsh Vardhan, the victim has named two persons who could be behind the attack, one of whom has been arrested and is being questioned. Another person who is the main accused is still absconding, however, multiple teams have been formed to nab him.
Today info was received at Dwarka’s Mohan Garden PS that a 17-year-old girl has been attacked with an acid-like substance by 2 bike-borne boys. She is under treatment & stated to be stable. She has received 8% burn injuries. One boy detained and is being questioned: DCP Dwarka pic.twitter.com/xKsSw2kFAP
— ANI (@ANI) December 14, 2022
The DCP informed that a PCR call was received at around 9 am about the incident of an acid-like substance being thrown on a girl in the Mohan Garden Police Station area by two bike-borne attackers.
CCTV footage of the incident is doing rounds on social media. In the footage, two persons are seen throwing an acid-like substance at the victim.
#BreakingNews : A 17-year-old girl was allegedly attacked with some acid-like substance by a man on a bike around 7:30 AM in Dwarka Sector, #Delhi. Treatment is underway, at Safdarjung Hospital.
— Breaking News World wide (@News1stShot1) December 14, 2022
A police investigation is underway. #AcidAttack pic.twitter.com/7TTztCt53L
The girl’s father stated that they have no idea who the attackers were. “The police are looking into the matter. My daughter is in critical condition. They threw acid in her face. Her vision is impaired. I inquired about the incident with my daughter. She does not know much. He allegedly came and threw acid at her… She was blinded and couldn’t see the attackers. “Doctors are treating her,” he said.
“Our younger daughter came running to the house and said that acid has been thrown at her sister. Both the boys had covered their faces, they are yet to be identified. It (acid) has entered both her eyes,” says the father of the victim girl pic.twitter.com/oGodsNq5Fv
— ANI (@ANI) December 14, 2022
Reacting to the incident, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal took to Twitter and wrote in Hindi, “This cannot be tolerated at all. How did the criminals get so much courage? The attackers should be given the strictest punishment. The safety of every girl child in Delhi is important to us.”
ये बिल्कुल बर्दाश्त नहीं किया जा सकता। अपराधियों की इतनी हिम्मत आख़िर हो कैसे गई? अपराधियों को सख़्त से सख़्त सज़ा मिलनी चाहिए। दिल्ली में हर बेटी की सुरक्षा हमारे लिए महत्त्वपूर्ण है। https://t.co/zPpQXMJ5OY
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) December 14, 2022
Meanwhile, Delhi BJP leader and Member of Parliament, Gautam Gambhir condemned the attack saying that the person who threw acid on the school girl should be publicly executed.
“Words can’t do any justice. We have to instill fear of immeasurable pain in these animals. The boy who threw acid at a school girl in Dwarka needs to be publicly executed by authorities,” Gambhir tweeted.
Words can’t do any justice. We have to instil fear of immeasurable pain in these animals. Boy who threw acid at school girl in Dwarka needs to be publicly executed by authorities.
— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) December 14, 2022
Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) has taken suo motu cognizance of the case and issued a notice to the Delhi Police.
The DCW chairperson Swati Maliwal questioned the government over neglect of demand to impose an acid ban.
द्वारका मोड़ के पास एक स्कूली छात्रा पर तेज़ाब फेंका। हमारी टीम पीड़िता की मदद के लिए अस्पताल पहुँच रही है। बेटी को इंसाफ़ दिलाएँगे। दिल्ली महिला आयोग सालों से देश में तेज़ाब बैन करने की लड़ाई लड़ रहा है। कब जगेंगी सरकारें?
— Swati Maliwal (@SwatiJaiHind) December 14, 2022
“Acid was thrown at a schoolgirl near Dwarka. Our team is reaching the hospital to help the victim. Will get justice for the daughter. The Delhi Commission for Women has been fighting for years to ban acid in the country. When will the governments wake up?” Maliwal tweeted in Hindi.