New Delhi: Acid attack is an uncivilised and heartless crime, said the Supreme Court adding that the perpetrator does not deserve any mercy.

A division bench of the apex court comprising of justices AM Khanwilkar and Ajay Rastogi, while disposing off a appeal by the Himachal Pradesh government against the High Court order, directed the two convicts, who have already undergone five year jail for throwing acid on a 19-year-old girl in 2004, to pay Rs 1.5 lakh each as additional compensation to the victim. It also asked the state government to pay compensation to the acid attack survivor under the Victim Compensation Scheme.

The bench observed, “Indeed, it cannot be ruled out that in the present case the victim had suffered an uncivilised and heartless crime committed by the respondents (two convicts) and there is no room for leniency which can be conceived.”

“A crime of this nature does not deserve any kind of clemency. This court cannot be oblivious of the situation that the victim must have suffered an emotional distress which cannot be compensated either by sentencing the accused or by grant of any compensation.”

The victim, while on her way to college on July 12,2004 was attacked with acid by two bike-borne youth. She had suffered 16% burn injury in the incident. A trial court had convicted the two with 10-year jail term. However, the HP High Court had reduced the 10-year jail term awarded to both the perpetrators by a trial court to five years.