PALANPUR/AHMEDABAD: There was some good news for acid victim Kajal Prajapati on Wednesday when a court in Mehsana sentenced to life imprisonment the 23-year-old man who had ruined her life two years ago.The principal sessions court judge, D A Joshi, sentenced to life Hardik Prajapati , an engineering student, who had thrown acid on Kajal’s face and body after she refused his proposal for a relationship. Due to the acid attack, Kajal lost her vision and her face was badly disfigured.The incident happened on February 1 when Kajal, a first-year-old commerce student, was on her way to V R Patel Commerce College in Nagalpur adjoining Mehsana. Prajapati came from behind her on a bike and threw acid on her face, chest, arms and other body parts. An angry crowd torched his bike and handed him over to the police.Judge Joshi also imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on Prajapati and the money will be given to Kajal who has been living a helpless life in a one-room house in her native village of Ramosan near Mehsana.Prajapti, a native of Shekhpur village in Vadnagar taluka, was an engineering student of Hemchandracharya North Gujarat University in Patan. She had suffered 16% burns, mainly on her face and neck.“If Prajapati does not pay the fine, he will have to serve additional time six months in prison,” said Sanjay Patel, additional public prosecutor. Prajapati was found guilty under section 326 (A) of Indian Penal Code, which lays down punishment up to 10 years that may extend up to life imprisonment for acid attack.A daughter of Mahendra Prajapati, a rickshaw driver in Mehsana, Kajal had dreamt of becoming an IPS officer but the acid attack had turned her aspirations into ashes.“When I told Kajal about the punishment, she softly whispered in my ears twice that the boy should be hanged to death,” her father Mahendra Prajapati told TOI.He said that the government had paid them compensation of Rs three lakhs in instalments but the amount could not compensate for their agony. “I urge the government to give her a decent job when her condition improves,” he said.When asked about her medical condition, Mahendra said, “She is under treatment at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital since the incident. The doctors are tell us that they need to perform several plastic surgeries. She is yet to open her eyes even after two years due to severe burn injuries.”The doctors are also planning to create a new ear using plastic surgery so that she can hear properly but there is no clue as to when she would regain vision.Prajapati, who earns around Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 per month, said that Kajal’s frustration is increasing every passing day and the only recreational activity that she can do is walk around in their one-room house.

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