A resident of Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh, Anshu was only 15 years old when she was attacked with acid by a 55-year-old man.
On 12/02/2014, at 12:30 p.m. when she was sleeping in the courtyard, the perpetrator came and sat on her chest and poured acid over her face. He was their neighbour. Anshu cried for help and people gathered. Before the attack, the perpetrator usually distressed her while on her way to and from school and passed comments.
On informing the police about the attack, they took Anshu to the District Hospital, Bijnor and then transferred to Meerut Hospital. It took nearly 4 hours for her to reach the hospital and was not provided with any first-aid. For around 7 months, Anshu was not able to see with her eyes.
Till now, two surgeries have been performed over her with a possibility of more. It took 6-7 months for her to recover physically and she was up to face life. Her name had been struck off from the school which made her feel helpless.
She was attacked again – her house was set on fire when she was sleeping. Luckily, she escaped, the offender was caught and handed over to the Gram Panchayat who announced the decision in favour of Anshu’s family and ordered the perpetrator’s family to leave the village.
The case is still going on. Anshu wants that whatever be the punishment decided for the perpetrator, he should understand that for a girl, her face is the most important thing and it means a lot for her. It can change her life to the worst. Due to the attack, only 30% vision left in one eye and the face is all disfigured with injury marks on chest and hands.
She has been rehabilitated by CHHANV FOUNDATION and is working in Sheroes Hangout, Lucknow since 2015.
Through all the struggles and hardships, Anshu Rajput is now, a TEDx speaker at IIM LUCKNOW (2018). She was the Face of Courage Award in 2019 by The Quint. She visited Spain to represent Sheroes Hangout for SEP with the Partner ORG. Bekoz Beko, SPAIN. Anshu has walked the ramp with Bollywood celebrities (Mugdha Godse, Tisca Chopra, Preeti Zhangiani, Mahima Chaudhary and Soha Ali khan). She was also a TCM Speaker at RMLN University, 2019 in Lucknow.
We wish her luck in the future!
