KATHMANDU, MARCH 29

The government had, in September-end last year, introduced the much-hyped ordinance that provisioned harsh punishment of up to 20 years jail term and fine of one million rupees, for acid attackers. It was considered a drastic deterrent measure for controlling the heinous crime.

The government had also introduced another ordinance to regulate the sale and distribution of acid, but due to lack of effective implementation, cases of acid attacks have not been controlled.

Yet another unfortunate acid attack occurred inside Kathmandu valley when youths were celebrating Holi yesterday.

Three minors sustained injuries after a jar full of acid was hurled at them 'accidentally' when people were celebrating the festival by splashing water at each other at Sankhu area of Shankarapur Municipality in Kathmandu District.

The injured includes a 16-year-old girl, an 11-year-old and another nine-year-old boy.

All three are undergoing treatment at Sushma Koirala Memorial Hospital. The condition of the girl is critical, while the two boys have sustained minor injuries.

The girl's face, along with some parts of her body, was seriously burnt while the boys suffered injuries in their hands, according to police.

Senior Superintendent of Police Ashok Singh, chief of Metropolitan Police Range, Kathmandu, said that the young people who were playing Holi accidentally poured the acid placed 'carelessly' at a dairy shop thinking that it was a water jar. Dairy shops often keep sulphuric acid to check for fat in the milk. 'The children must have mistaken the acid for water.

Sulphuric acid looks like water as it also does not emit any smell.

Police have arrested two minors Som Pahadi, 17, and Aakash Tamang, 18, who had accidentally splashed acid on their friends. Police, however, have not yet filed any charge against them. Police have also arrested Keshab Nepal, owner of the dairy shop. Police are preparing to charge him with carelessly placing the acid.

Milk collection centres normally have large amounts of Sulphuric acid to measure the amount of fat in the milk.

Ujjwal Bikram Thapa, an activist against acid attack, said the government's failure to turn the ordinance into a bill, has supported such crimes or accidents.

'Until and unless the ordinance is turned into an act, the bureaucracy will not take it seriously.'

The acid regulation ordinance prohibits any kind of buying and selling of acid among the public.

Acid producers are also required to imprint shiny labels on the acid products with warning signs about the harmful effects of acid. Such labelled products should be bought only by organisations and kept safely.

The implementation of the rule, however, is very poor. Activist Thapa said selling and buying of the product is still rampant and acid bottles are sold without labels on them.

A version of this article appears in the print on March 30, 2021, of The Himalayan Times.