Balod acid attack leaves 22‑year‑old woman partially blind

A 22‑year‑old woman in Balod district, Chhattisgarh, was left partially blind after an acid attack on Monday afternoon. The victim was returning home from the library while preparing for competitive exams when two men stopped her and threw acid on her face and hand. The attackers, identified as 20‑year‑old Yash Kumar Sonkar and his friend Karan Kunjam, fled the scene after the assault. She suffered deep burns on her right cheek and right eye and an 8 percent total body burn, according to an anonymous doctor. The doctor said she has no vision in her right eye at present and that recovery of sight will take time. Police traced and arrested both suspects within eight hours of the attack. Their heads were tonsured before they were taken to the court complex, where a crowd of mostly women gathered, held placards and demanded capital punishment. Harshita Sahu, a childhood friend, said the community will not rest until the accused are hanged. Vidya Sahu, a fellow student, called the incident the first acid attack in Balod’s history and described the victim as innocent. During interrogation Sonkar admitted he had asked the woman to marry him and, after repeated refusals, plotted the attack with Kunjam. The pair bought acid on September 27 and originally planned to strike during the Ganesh immersion procession, but tight security forced them to change the date. They finally attacked on October 5. The victim was first taken to a local hospital and later transferred to DKS super‑speciality hospital in Raipur for advanced care.

Context

Acid attacks are a rare but brutal form of violence against women in India; this case is the first recorded in Balod district, leading to strong public outrage and swift police action.