Here's a rundown of a recent court case involving an acid attack in Pune. The High Court of Bombay delivered its decision on February 25, 2026, involving an 18-year-old named Abuzar Ayyaz Tamboli.
On this day, a young woman, who had been friends with Abuzar before her marriage, was attacked. She met him near Bhamre School, Parvati Darshan, Pune, to tell him to stop following her. During their meeting, Abuzar allegedly threw acid on her face, causing severe burns. The attack happened around 8:00 AM, and the incident was reported to the Dattavadi Police Station in Pune.
"She called for help. The people who gathered at the spot took her to her parents' place."
The police recorded the victim's statement and collected medical evidence. A total of 13 witnesses were questioned, including the victim, her father, and friends. Even though some witnesses changed their stories, the prosecution relied on chemical analysis reports to prove the substance was acid.
During the trial, the victim's father and other witnesses did not fully support the prosecution's case, leading to them being considered unhelpful. However, the victim stuck to her story during questioning, confirming that Abuzar threw the acid.
"The accused told her, ‘You think too highly of yourself, don’t you? Let me show you otherwise.’"
Judge R.M. Joshi found Abuzar guilty under Section 326A of the IPC, which deals with acid attacks. Despite arguments for a lighter sentence due to his young age, the court sentenced him to 10 years in prison, the minimum for this crime.
The court noted that the POCSO Act, which protects children from sexual offenses, was incorrectly applied since there was no sexual intent in the attack.
Despite the challenges in evidence and witness testimonies, the court upheld the conviction based on the chemical evidence and the victim's consistent statements.
