Struggle against injustice paid off, says father of Srinagar acid attack victim
Srinagar: My two years of struggle—from soliciting donations to fighting a legal battle for my ‘defaced’ daughter—paid off the moment I learned that the main accused had been handed a life sentence by the court, Nisar Ahmad Chiloo, father of Srinagar acid attack survivor, said.
Perched in a corner of his two-room, single -story house, Chiloo, a tailor by profession, said people had taunted him for having an “inauspicious” daughter who had brought misfortune to her family.
“I persisted in fighting for justice despite obstacles, refusing to give up on the injustice done to my daughter,” Chiloo told ‘Kashmir Images’ even as he regretted that his daughter “may not be able to live a normal life like other girls. This unfortunate incident broke me!”
In order to cover the costs incurred on a series of medical interventions after the acid attack on his daughter, Chiloo had to sell his ancestral house. “I had face mocks and taunts from people; some even created their own narrative about the incident, which was very insulting as much as hurtful,” he added.
“I am appreciative of everyone who helped me stay strong and not feel defeated. Although it was an exhaustive trial, I am grateful to the honorable court, the prosecution, the police, and the media for making the accused bear the consequences of his evil act,” Chiloo said.
“My daughter has lost vision in an eye; and it seems that prospects of her fully regaining vision are very bleak. To date, I have spent around Rs 80 lakhs on her treatment. I solicited donations from mosques, to meet the medical expenses of my daughter,” he said.
It may be in place to mention that accompanied by a minor, one Sajid Altaf Rather, a resident of Srinagar, had thrown acid on a then 24-years-old girl at Hawal area in the old city on February 01, 2022, after she had turned down his marriage proposal.
A day after the attack, police had arrested Rather, his juvenile aide, and one Mohammad Saleem Kumar, the man who had sold the abrasive chemical (Sulphuric Acid) to the main accused.
After two years of rigorous trial, Principal Sessions judge, Srinagar, Jawad Ahmed convicted Rather under Sections 326 A (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by use of acid) and 34 (common intent) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and awarded him life imprisonment.
Recalling the fateful day when his daughter was attacked with acid, Chiloo said, “I broke the moment I saw my daughter lying unconscious on the hospital bed.
“Anyways, justice has finally won, and the accused received a life sentence. I have no idea what will happen to my daughter, but I will always have hope,” said Chiloo.
