Acid attack survivors seek security cover

LUCKNOW: The six acid attack survivors, who run Sheroes Hangout in the posh Gomtinagar area, no longer feel safe. After the recent alleged acid attack incident on-board a train with one one of their employees, organisers are now seeking police protection for them. A letter to the effect will be submitted at the Gomtinagar police station on Monday.
With their residing hostels far from the cafe, the survivors also demand the government to provide them vehicle for commuting on a daily basis.
“The cafe is a public place and an open space. After the recent case with Vimla on-board the Ganga-Gomti express, we cannot risk the lives of other survivors,” said Stop Acid Attack’s Ashish Shukla, adding that we hope the police have no issues in providing security cover.
Ashish said even after the incident of their previous acid attacks, these girls are always on the radar of any such attack again, with most of the perpetrators taking it as a prestige issue. Vimla (38) was on Thursday re-attacked with acid on her train to Lucknow from the village. She was allegedly forced to drink acid and is currently recuperating at King George's Medical University's (KGMU), trauma centre.
Back at cafe, even though the sun is shining bright and high, spirits of survivors- Aasma, Preeti, Garima, Rupali, Reshma and Shanti are down. “Since the day the attack happened on Vimla, we have all been scared. Our hostel on Sitapur road is far from here and taking a cab with an unknown driver everyday has become scarier than ever. We request the government for providing us with security and also a vehicle for transport,” said Garima, a survivor working at the cafe.
Vimla’s husband, Santlal, was on Sunday provided police protection since the cases registered by Vimla against her Rae Bareli-based perpetrators go back to 2008.
Vimla recuperating: Stable and conscious, Vimla, is now able to speak and is taking little food along with tubular feeding. As per Dr Avinash Agarwal, c-faculty in charge of trauma centre’s ICU, “The endoscopy results of Vimla have shown ulcers down her throat up till the mid-rim portion above the stomach. She is better now, but was under stress in her last psychiatry testing. We will get that done again and discharge her in next three days.”