New Delhi: Fifteen years after her husband had thrown acid at her, Saleema (name changed) recently secured a compensation of Rs 5 lakh, in addition to a Rs 3-lakh interim relief that she received in 2012. In the meantime, the treatment has cost her at least Rs 10 lakh. On June 24, 2010, Saleema had gone to meet a friend in north Delhi, hoping to rebuild her life after separating from her husband. However, he soon arrived there, and began abusing and assaulting her. When the friend tried to step in, the man pulled out a bottle from his pocket and threw some liquid at Saleema.
In seconds, Saleema felt her skin burning, a “fire that wouldn’t stop” — the acid burned nearly 25% of her body. Half of her right scalp and face were damaged, her chest and both arms developed severe burns. For months, even wearing clothes caused unbearable pain.Hospitals became a second home as she underwent multiple reconstructive surgeries. Coming from an economically weaker background, paying medical bills was a constant struggle. There was some closure when a sessions court sent her husband to 10 years in prison. But it did not automatically mean relief in life. Unaware of victim compensation schemes, Saleema continued struggling until 2015, when she connected with Shaheen Malik, founder of Brave Souls Foundation and herself an acid attack survivor.With Malik’s support, Saleema began fighting for compensation, guided by Supreme Court’s directions in the Parivartan Kendra vs Union of India (2016) case, which held that compensation must reflect the actual injuries suffered.After multiple applications, a writ petition was filed before Delhi High Court in 2017. It directed her to approach Delhi Legal Services Authority again. Years of representations, paperwork and waiting followed. “I almost gave up hope that I would ever receive this compensation. Now that it finally came, I feel that some of my life’s struggles will ease a little,” Saleema said, adding that the compensation has given her a fighting chance to afford further surgeries and treatment.Today, she stitches clothes to make ends meet and raise her daughter who was seven years old during the attack. With support from Brave Souls Foundation, she is also pursuing compensation under the PMNRF scheme for an additional Rs 1 lakh. Calling it a relief rather than a victory, Malik said the compensation gave Saleema and her daughter a brief-but-crucial window of stability.
