Delhi Acid Attack: DCW Issues Notices To Flipkart, Amazon

The Delhi Commission For Women (DCW) has issued notices to ecommerce majors Flipkart and Amazon for the sale of acid on their platforms. The move comes after an acid attack on a 17-year-old school student in Delhi sparked outrage.

According to the Delhi Police, the three accused, who are now under arrest, bought acid from an ecommerce platform. According to the DCW notice, the accused ordered the acid online from Flipkart.

In a letter sent to Amazon and Flipkart, DCW Chairperson Swati Maliwal called the easy availability of acid on ecommerce platforms a ‘grave concern’. The DCW has sought responses from the ecommerce platforms on multiple issues, including the reason behind the availability of acid on the portals. 

“The acid that was thrown at the 17-year-old girl was bought from Flipkart. Acid is also being sold on Amazon. Think how easy it is for anyone to buy acid… press the button, get home delivery of acid sitting at home! I am issuing notice to Flipkart and Amazon, their accountability should be decided!” said Maliwal in a tweet on Thursday (December 15).

Other information sought by the DCW includes the details of the sellers, whether the platforms checked the said sellers’ licences to sell acid and whether they sought the photo IDs of the buyers of the said acid. 

The Commission has also asked the platforms to provide a copy of the licence obtained to sell acid online, along with details on their policy about selling regulated products online. 

The DCW has also asked for the details of the persons responsible for allowing the sale of acid online and the action taken against them. The Commission has given the platforms time till December 20 to respond to the notices.

In a statement, Flipkart said, “We strongly condemn this unfortunate incident and our thoughts and prayers are with the victim and her family,” adding that it has blacklisted the seller involved in the incident.

“We are extending all support to the concerned authorities in their investigation,” the Walmart-owned ecommerce platform added.

Flipkart and Amazon list acid under the toilet cleaners category on their respective platforms. Several sellers sell acid with varying degrees of concentration as toilet cleaners on the platforms.

Many sellers on both Flipkart and Amazon are selling muriatic acid, known as hydrochloric acid. 

Other corrosive substances such as oxalic acid (an organic acid which is available in powdered form) and peracetic acid (another highly corrosive organic acid) are also readily available on both platforms.

Speaking on the matter, BC Bhartia, president of the industry body Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), said, “Government must tighten regulations for ecommerce marketplace companies and make them accountable for such lapses.”

Shortly after DCW, the Delhi Police also issued a notice to Flipkart, a PTI report said, citing police officials. The police have sought details of the order placed by the accused.

Meanwhile, the Delhi acid attack victim is in intensive care at Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital, having suffered 8% chemical burns on her face. A senior doctor cited by PTI said that the survivor is “conscious, well oriented and afebrile”.

Update | December 15, 2022, 8:50 PM

Flipkart’s statement has been added to the story.

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