Acid attack: Jailed for assault on boyfriend

Says she wanted to teach him a lesson for deception.

FAISALABAD:

A woman arrested by Razabad police for an acid attack on her boyfriend was on Monday sent to jail on a judicial remand for two weeks.

Naila*, 20, had admitted to throwing acid on Moin Kabir*, 24, a resident of Marzi Pura, during questioning by the police after her arrest on Sunday.

Razabad police quoted the suspect as saying that the assault was meant to teach Kabir a lesson for going back on his promise to marry her. She said the victim had embarrassed her by discussing their relationship with her friends and relatives. She said she and Kabir had been together for three years. “I used to give in to his demands trusting that one day he will marry me,” she said.

The suspect said recently Kabir had started ignoring her after “he got into a relationship with another woman”. On Sunday, she said, she sought a meeting with him and threw acid on him.

She said she had committed no wrong. “He got what he deserved. I couldn’t let him walk away after embarrassing me in front of my friends and relatives,” she said. “I am prepared for the consequences,” she added. She said her only regret was the problems her parents would face due to her imprisonment. She said she had been working at a beauty parlour in her neighbourhood to help them with the household expenses. Razabad police have registered an FIR under Section 337-A and B of PPC and Seven of the ATA (added to unsure that the suspects are not released on bail).

Meanwhile, the victim’s condition was described by doctors treating him at Allied Hospital as out of danger. Dr Zahid Nagra said Kabir had burns on his face and chest. He ruled out complications because the acid used was not very strong. “The first concern in treating acid attack cases is to determine the extent of damage to eyes. Kabir’s injury is not too serious to affect his sight.”

*Names have been changed to protect identities of the suspect and the victim

Penal Code

337-A: Punishment of shajjah

Whoever, by doing any act with the intention of causing hurt to any person, or with the knowledge that he is likely to cause hurt, causes-

(i)    shajjah-i-khafifah to any person, shall be liable to daman and may also be imprisoned for a term which may extend to two years as ta’zir,

(ii)   shajjah-i-mudihah to any person, shall, in consultation with the authorised medical officer, be punished with qisas, and if the, qisas is not executable keeping in view the principles of equality, in accordance with the Injunctions of Islam, the convict shall be liable to arsh which shall be five percent of the diyat and may also be imprisoned for a term which may extend to five years as ta’zir,

(iii)  shajjah-i-hashimah to any person, shall be liable to arsh which shall be ten per cent of the diyat and may also be imprisoned for a term which may extend to ten years as ta’zir,

(iv)  shajiah-i-munaqqilah to any person, shall be liable to arsh which shall be fifteen per cent of the diyat and may also be imprisoned for a term which may extend to ten years as ta ‘zir,

(v)  shajjah-i-ammah to any person, shall be liable to arsh which shall be one-third of the diyat and may also be imprisoned for up to ten years as ta’zir, and

(vi) shajjah-i-damighah to any person shall be liable to arsh which shall be one-half of diyat and may also be imprisoned for up to fourteen years as ta’zir.

337-B: Jurh

(1) Whoever causes on any part of the body of a person, other than the head or face, a hurt which leaves a mark of the wound, whether temporary or permanent, is said to cause jurh.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 13^th, 2012.