Deterrence

PUNISHMENT VS. PREVENTION OF ACID ATTACKS: A STUDY OF DETERRENCE UNDER THE BHARATIYA NYAYA SANHITA, 2023 WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO REHABILITATION OF SURVIVORS Yashveena, Amity Law School, Amity University, Mohali, Punjab, (India) Download Manuscript doi.org/10.70183/lijdlr.2025.v03.126 Acid attacks are one of the most severe forms of gender-based violence in India and causes severe harm to a survivor, both physically and psychologically and also causes a huge drain on the victims. Despite legislative reforms as well as judicial interventions, the continuing frequency of the attacks raises an important question on the current evaluation of the corrective framework, especially under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. This paper raises the question as to whether the continuing debate between corrective (penal) and preventative strategies regarding acid violence is grounded on the adequacy, or else, of corrective provisions in the BNS. This study totally analyses through relative and doctrinal methodologies, statutory law, judicial precedents, and the applicable criminological propositions of deterrence. It places Indian legal responses within a wider transnational environment, drawing on relative perceptive.   The lesser part of the analysis is to be devoted to survivor recuperation and about differing the aspirational ideals of law with the practical challenges of victims, similar as systemic neglect, inadequate medical care, lengthy processes for compensation, and social ostracization. The exploration therefore aligns statutory provisions with their perpetration and hence demonstrates the gap between justice in proposition and justice in practice. It’s thus set up that although the corrective provisions have handed stronger legal frame under BNS, they’re still shy in the absence of inversely strong preventative- acquainted mechanisms similar as strict regulation of trade of acid, community alert, and comprehensive survivor-centered recuperation programs. The study thus concludes on the note that rehabilitation needs to be considered as a basic constitutional right under Article 21 and only that holistic, survivor-acquainted strategy, incorporating discipline, forestallment, and rehabilitation will achieve real justice over acid violence cases.