HRLN has filed a writ petition to provide free medical, surgical treatment and rehabilitation package to the acid attack Survivor

The HRLN has filed a writ petition against the State of Haryana in the High Court of Chandigarh on behalf of the petitioner, a young woman of 30 years who suffered Acid Attack on 19.11.2009 at the age of 26 years since she refused to oblige sexually to her employer at Panipat, Haryana where she was working as a counsellor and was also pursuing her MBA in the same college. An FIR dated 20.11.2009 was registered at PS Panipat and she had to be an indoor patient at Indraprasth APOLLO Hospital’s, New Delhi from 20.11.2009 to 29.11.200.  She had to undergo 5-6 other surgeries at different times. She had already spent approximately Rs. 7.5 lac on her treatment and still approximately she needs more Rs. 13 lac which she does not have.

The petitioner who had lost her eye-sight and whose face also disfigured due to subjective and objective reasons had to exclude her from social interactions. She approached to Department of Women and Child Development for medical and other help which was declined by the said department on the plea that the scheme of the state is available only to the Acid Victims who had suffered acid attack after 02.05.2011.

The Petitioner has prayed before this Hon’ble Court, inter alia, as under:

To modify the policy dated 02.05.2011 subsequently amended vide dated 16.1.2014 qua the eligibility criteria being violative of Article 21 and 14 of the constitution of India and to set aside the order dated 29.8.2013, to provide free medical and surgical treatment to the acid attack victim, rehabilitation and compensation as per the policy issued by the state of Haryana and guidelines issued by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India in Laxmi vs UOI dated 18.7.2013, to reimburse the expenses which she had already incurred and during the pendency of the petition for directions either to release at least Rs. 5 lac to the petitioner directly or to give direction/instruction to the approved hospital i.e. IP Apollo at New Delhi to provide free treatment to the petitioner so that the petitioner’s treatment is not further delayed since the matter pertains to the right to life of the petitioner.

Print this post