Fatal acid attacks: TN government to regulate sale of acid

Chennai: Against the backdrop of acid attacks that claimed the lives of two young women, Tamil Nadu Government on Tuesday said it will take steps to control and regulate sale of the chemical. "A Bill (in this regard) will be moved during the coming Budget session of the state Assembly and adopted," Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa said in a statement here.

Condoling the death of a 20-year-old woman, who on February 24 succumbed to burns sustained in an acid attack by a man last month, she announced a relief of Rs two lakh from the Chief Minister's General Relief Fund to the family of the deceased.

The death of two victims of acid attacks in the past fortnight has triggered calls for checking easy availability of acid with even the Madras High Court moved for a ban on over-the-counter sale. The court yesterday issued notice to the Central and state governments.

CM J Jayalalithaa said that a bill will be moved during the coming Budget session in the state Assembly in this regard.

On February 12, a 23-year-old software engineer died at a hospital here after battling severe burns she suffered in an acid attack at a bus terminus in Karaikal near Nagapattinam on November 14 by a construction worker, whose overtures she had rejected.

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