India’s acid victims hope for new life after court orders free treatment
By Nita Bhalla and Suchitra Mohanty NEW DELHI (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Rupa Saa was just 15 when her stepmother poured acid over her face as she slept, burning her skin and melting her cheeks, nose, mouth and chin. Like many of India’s acid victims, she was shunned due to her disfigurement and struggled to pay for the multiple reconstructive surgeries she needed – leaving her despondent and with little will to live. “I was devastated by the acid attack. Although the amount of compensation is very little, the order by the court will give us a better life and future,” Saa told the Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone from Agra, around 200 km (130 miles) south of New Delhi.