Give free treatment to acid attack victims: SC to private hospitals

April 10, 2015 07:47 pm | Updated November 16, 2021 06:58 pm IST - New Delhi

In an order likely to have far-reaching effects, the Supreme Court ruled on Friday that private hospitals could neither “turn away” victims of acid attack nor wash their hands of after providing first aid.

The court made it mandatory for these hospitals across the country to provide full and free medical treatment to the victims. The order said the term “treatment” included reconstructive surgery, free medicines, bed, rehabilitation and aftercare.

The order came on a public interest litigation petition filed by Laxmi, an acid attack victim, following nine years of fighting for the rights of victims.

Ms. Laxmi was only 15 when three men, one of whom she had refused to marry, threw acid on her near Tughlaq Road in New Delhi. She has been fighting a lonely battle since 2006 in the Supreme Court, and in the process, succeeded in getting the Indian Penal Code amended to make acid attack a special offence. She further persuaded the court to increase the compensation for victims to Rs. 3 lakh, besides procuring a complete ban on over-the-counter sale of acid.

Friday’s order dealt with Ms. Laxmi’s final demand for getting victims proper treatment, aftercare and rehabilitation.

In its order, the Social Justice Bench of Justices Madan B. Lokur and U.U. Lalit directed that “all States should take up with private hospitals and ensure that they do not deny treatment to acid attack victims. We see there is a reluctance on the part of some private hospitals to provide free treatment.”

The court clarified that “free treatment would mean not only free medical treatment but also availability of medicines, food and reconstructive surgery.”

The court directed the State governments to take action against the hospitals turning away victims.

The Bench was interpreting Section 357C of the Criminal Procedure Code, inserted in Feb. 2013, to deal with the issue of cost of treatment of acid-attack victims.

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