Bengaluru, 7 March

Karnataka government is planning to ban over-the-counter sales of acid to restrict its availability, Home Minister G Parameshwara said on Thursday, in the wake of an acid attack on three female students in Dakshina Kannada district.

He said it will be ensured that only authorised chemical dealers are given the permission to sell it, adding that the Director General of Police will be writing a letter to the Commerce and Industries department soon. “In a couple of days, DG will be writing a letter to the government — to the Commerce and Industries department — stating that there should be no free sales (easy availability) of acid. It should not be available for anyone to go and purchase it anywhere. Only those dealing with chemicals should be given the permission,” Parameshwara said here. “Police department will be writing a letter to ban (its free sale),” he said.

The government’s move comes within days of the acid attack by a youth at a government Pre-University college in the taluk headquarters town of Kadaba on 4 March that sparked outrage.