The recent acquittal of the accused in a 16-year-old acid attack case has reopened deep wounds in India’s long struggle against this kind of corrosive violence. In 2009, in Panipat, Shaheen Malik endured horrific injuries after an acid attack, losing sight in one eye and undergoing 25 reconstructive surgeries. A Delhi court acquitted the accused in December 2025, citing investigative infirmities and lack of evidence. The verdict laid bare the systemic deficiencies in the prosecution. This is shameful: despite substantial medical documentation, the prosecution failed to build a watertight case, leading to procedural lapses. Investigative inertia and judicial delay can, evidently, thwart justice even in the most egregious of crimes.

But legal infirmities in one case are not the only concern. Acid attacks in India must not be perceived as isolated transgressions; they are part of a broader culture of gendered cruelty. According to the National Crime Records Bureau data, India recorded 207 acid attack cases in 2023, an increase from 202 such crimes in 2022 and 176 in 2021. West Bengal accounted for the highest share of such attacks — there were 57 incidents in 2023 — followed by Uttar Pradesh (31) and Gujarat (15). Of the total number of assaults in 2023, 113 were investigated, while 53 cases were pending from the previous year. These crimes are often triggered by perpetrators who feel threatened by the perceived dismissal of male authority: thus rejection of romantic advances by women or their assertion of independence often makes them targets. What must also be noticed is the perversity of such attacks that aim to not only bodily disfigure the victim but also, as a consequence, make her a victim of lifelong shame. Despite the Supreme Court’s guidelines, corrosive substances remain easily accessible in many markets, undermining regulatory intent and providing a ready arsenal for offenders. India’s struggle contrasts with Bangladesh’s relative success where enforcement of strict controls on acid sale, rapid investigations of cases, and dedicated tribunals have led to a reduction of such attacks over the past two decades. Compounding these challenges is the lack of sensitisation within law enforcement and even judicial representatives. Survivors have often recounted their trauma on account of insensitive questions, delayed investigations, and the lack of understanding of the profound psychological trauma and societal stigma they endure. Economic rehabilitation, counselling and sustained medical support are some of the other unresolved challenges when it comes to women battling these debilitating scars.