dna exclusive: Gorai acid attack victim suffered other assaults too, finds National Commission for Women

The National Commission for Women (NCW) wants the police investigating the Gorai acid attack on a 17-year-old, to apply stricter charges against the offender for serious atrocities committed against the girl even before the incident last week.

The attacker, Jitendra Sakpal, was apparently in a relationship with the girl and after a tiff forced acid down her throat. She was rescued by passersby who heard her scream, but suffered serious burns and is being treated in hospital. Sakpal was arrested on a charge of attempt to murder (section 307 of the Indian Penal Code). He is a hotel management student and lives in Borivli.

On Saturday, Neelima Samant Prabhavalkar, NCW member, said: “Our inquiry into the case revealed that the offence is not limited to the acid attack. The boy had attempted some serious crimes against the girl and should be tried on charges that deserve life imprisonment.”

She said the inquiry report had been submitted to the NCW with the recommendation that the police add further sections in the case. This has been conveyed to the police officers investigating the incident and the NCW has also spoken to the girl’s relatives.

Samant Prabhavalkar said they had also tried to talk to the girl, but she was unable to speak because of her injuries. She, however, communicated with them in signs and even wrote down a few lines.

The NCW routinely takes cognizance of such cases and conducts its own inquiry.