Thane

A court in Maharashtra’s Thane district has sentenced a man to life imprisonment for carrying out an acid attack on a woman in 2022, observing that the brutal and violent act had reduced the survivor’s life to a “living hell”.

Additional Sessions Judge G G Bhansali convicted Kolimuddin Amir Shaikh (49), a resident of Mumbai, under Section 326A of the Indian Penal Code, which deals with voluntarily causing grievous hurt by the use of acid. A copy of the judgment, delivered on February 3, was made available on Friday.

During the trial, Additional Public Prosecutor R W Pande pressed for the harshest punishment, presenting the testimony of nine witnesses to establish the prosecution’s case. The accused, a labourer originally from West Bengal, was found guilty of the offence.

According to the prosecution, Shaikh was previously in a relationship with the survivor, Taslima Shaikh, a widow who lived in Thane and earned a livelihood by running a tiffin service. On April 22, 2022, the accused allegedly entered her residence and hurled nitric acid on her face, leaving her with grievous injuries and permanent disfigurement.

In his order, Judge Bhansali noted that beyond the severe physical harm, the survivor had also suffered profound psychological trauma, stating that the crime had destroyed her sense of dignity and normalcy.

Describing the incident as “one of the most ferocious and violent crimes against a woman,” the court awarded life imprisonment to the accused and imposed a fine of ₹50,000.

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The court further directed the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) to ensure that the survivor receives appropriate assistance under the Victims’ Compensation Scheme.