District Court Judge Tek Narayan Kunwar issued the order after hearing in a case against Anup Rana Magar, who had attacked a girl with acid at Mangalbazar, Lalitpur on January 22, 2015. The identity of the girl has been kept secret by the court and police for security reasons.
The district court has stated that special legal provision is required to provide real justice to the victims of acid attacks since the existing legal provisions do not allow the courts to award severe punishment to the perpetrators.According to Kaushaleshwar Gyawali, spokesperson for the Lalitpur District Court, the bench has ordered to change the charge against Magar since there is no special legal provision to deal with the cases of acid attack. The perpetrators if charged with physical assault could receive a jail term of three years.
Citing provisions of life imprisonment and capital punishment to acid attackers in India, Bangladesh and some other countries, the court has issued the directives to parliament and the ministry stating that Nepal lacks legal provisions to provide reparation to the victims.
Anup Rana Magar had attacked the girl with acid after she rejected his love proposal. Police had arrested Magar two days after the attack.
The court order on Sunday has significance as the several incidents of acid attack took place in the capital early this year.
In February, Jiban BK of Phulasi-8, Ramechap had attacked two young girls with acid in a tuition class at Jhonchhe, Kathmandu. BK has been currently in judicial custody following an order from the Kathmandu District Court.
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