Relief for Teen Girl as her Acid Attacker gets Life Imprisonment

An Acid attack survivor from Palanpur, Gujarat, received justice after years of acid attack. A court in Mehsana sentenced her 23-year-old attacker to life imprisonment. Two years ago, Kajal Prajapati was going to her college when Hardik Prajapati came riding a bike and threw acid on her face. She sustained severe injuries from the incident. It caused maximum damage to her neck and face. The boy was found guilty under section 326 (A) of Indian Penal Code, which lays down the punishment for acid attacks.

Refused proposal for relationship

Hardik Prajapati was an engineering student who had developed a liking for Kajal. However, Kajal refused his proposal for a relationship. As a result, Hardik took the irrational decision of seeking revenge by throwing acid on the girl's face. Kajal lost her eyesight in the acid attack. She had suffered 16% burns.

Kajal lost her eyesight in the acid attack. She had suffered 16% burns.

The TOI reported, "the incident happened on February 1 when Kajal, a first-year-old commerce student, was on her way to V R Patel Commerce College in Nagalpur adjoining Mehsana. Prajapati came from behind her on a bike and threw acid on her face, chest, arms and other body parts. An angry crowd torched his bike and handed him over to the police".

Dreamt of becoming an IPS officer

Kajal was the daughter of a rickshaw driver in Mehsana. She had always dreamt of becoming an IPS officer. However, the attack caused irreplaceable damage and suppressed her dreams forever. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on the accused, non-payment of which would lead to an extension of jail time by six months.

The attack has hampered Kajal's ability to lead an independent life. She has been living helplessly in a one-room house in her native village. Understandably, the verdict provides her justice but still doesn't compensate for the heavy loss the incident caused her. “When I told Kajal about the punishment, she softly whispered in my ears twice that the boy should be hanged to death,” her father Mahendra Prajapati told TOI.

Read: Gutsy Kolkata Woman Gets Acid Attacker Behind Bars

picture credit: islamichelp.or.uk

Nimisha is an intern with SheThePeople.TV