Chandigarh acid attack survivor among CBSE class 12 exam toppers, scores 95.6%
In an inspiring tale of resilience and determination, 17-year-old Kafi, a student at the Blind School in Sector 26, Chandigarh, has topped her school in the Class 12 board exams with an impressive score of 95.6 per cent. An acid attack survivor, Kafi aspires to pursue a Political Science Honours degree from Delhi University and dreams of becoming an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer.advertisementKafi was subjected to an acid attack when she was just three years old by three neighbours living in the village of Budhana in Haryana's Hisar district out of jealousy. The attack left Kafi with severe burns on her face and arms, and she lost her eyesight. Despite this, Kafi did not give up and kept fighting to achieve her dreams.But using audiobooks as her primary tool of study, Kafi diligently pursued her education and had earlier scored 95.2% in her Class 10 exams.
Kafi was attacked with acid during the festival of Holi in 2011 in her native village of Budhana. In an exclusive conversation, Kafi told India Today that three of her neighbours threw acid on her. Despite initial treatment at AIIMS Delhi, doctors informed the family that her vision could not be restored. "The doctors saved my life, but not my eyesight," she said.advertisementHer journey in education began in her village, where it took a decisive turn when she was admitted to the Blind School in Chandigarh in the sixth grade. Since then, Kafi has remained focused on her academic goals, consistently topping her class.Kafi's father, a peon working on a contractual basis at the Mini Secretariat in Chandigarh, expressed immense pride in her achievements. Kafi has already appeared for the Delhi University entrance exam and is hopeful of securing admission.Tragically, despite the severity of the crime, the perpetrators of the acid attack are yet to be brought to justice. "Those who did this to me are still roaming free," Kafi stated.Meanwhile, Sumant and Gursharan Singh, also students of the Blind School, secured the second and third positions with 94 per cent and 93.6 per cent marks, respectively.
IN THIS STORY#Chandigarh#Punjab
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
2 days ago
- The Hindu
21 booked for assaulting, stripping three men over witchcraft allegations in Raipur
Twenty one persons have been booked for brutally assaulting and stripping three men over witchcraft allegations in Raipur three months ago. The First Information Report (FIR) was registered on June 9 following a lower court order. It documents that the trio were held captive by the mob that thrashed them, paraded semi-naked and robbed them of their money and other belongings in the Abhanpur area of Raipur district on March 13. It also notes that despite being aware of the incident, the police refused to file an FIR initially forcing the victims to seek judicial intervention. The three victims Naresh Kumar Sahu, Amar Singh Sahu and his son Tilak Sahu were allegedly hit with bamboo sticks and belts. According to the FIR, after parading them semi naked in the village, they were made to sit naked in a square and were beaten with shoes, slippers and sticks throughout the night. 'In the meanwhile, the applicants fainted many times, so they were brought back to consciousness by giving them water and they were beaten again and again. They rubbed red chilli powder on the places from where blood was oozing out. When the applicants screamed in pain, non-applicants no. 1 to 16 laughed and made fun of them,' the FIR adds. The torture continued till next morning when someone from the village informed the police. Yet, 'the police came but could not save the applicants in view of the crowd present there and their aggressiveness and abusive language'. The initial police responders then called for more police force that led to the assault being stopped. It is further alleged that the accused in order to avoid any action against them, pressured the applicants and got them to sign a letter stating that they did not want any police action. 'Since the applicants were in fear for their lives at that time, the applicants were forced to sign on a plain paper and only after signing did the non-applicants allow the police to take the applicants away,' says the FIR. On the police's role, the FIR says the applicants requested the aforesaid police personnel to take action and when they asked to take them to the police station, they cited that they were busy maintaining law and order during Holi festival. Raipur Senior Superintendent of Police Lal Ummed Singh said FIR had been registered against 21 accused following the court order.
India Today
3 days ago
- India Today
Blood on sindoor: Why Indian marriages are turning deadly
A newlyweds' honeymoon in Meghalaya has just turned into a horror story, ending in the husband's murder, allegedly masterminded by the Raghuvanshi, 29, of Indore, vanished during a trek with wife Sonam just days after their May 11 wedding. On June 2, his semi-decomposed body, carrying signs of machete blows, was found at the bottom of a gorge by the Wei Sawdong waterfalls in claim Sonam, 28, and her boyfriend Raj Kushwaha conspired to murder Raja, hiring hitmen to carry it out. The two accused, now under arrest along with three hitmen, are described as masterminds of the crimeAt the funeral, Raj Kushwaha was filmed consoling Sonam's tearful father—a grim irony that played out on social media. Raja's sister Shrasti pleaded for justice: 'You (Sonam) could have eloped if you liked someone else. Why kill him (Raja)?' From the outset, this case had the makings of a dark thriller—honeymooning bride, clandestine lover and contractual killers. Yet, it was all too mind of a murderous wifeIf Sonam, as the police claim, plotted the murder, her devious mind defies ordinary comprehension and betrays a chilling blend of betrayal and delusion. What grotesque fantasy took root in her imagination to believe she could eliminate her husband and, without consequence, begin anew with her lover? To kill someone who shared your life and trusted you implicitly requires a senseless detachment, a moral void where empathy otherwise is compelled to ask: what warped logic could provoke such a crime? Were there early signs—a manipulative streak, a lack of remorse or an uncanny ability to lie without flinching—that those around her had missed? In Sonam's story lies a grim reminder: that beneath the veneer of the familiar may lurk the dangerous contours of a disorderly crime patternThe Raghuvanshi murder has over the weeks increasingly seemed less exceptional and more emblematic of a disturbing trend. Across northern India, reports have been surfacing of wives—often with the help of partners—allegedly murdering their husbands in brutal March this year, the Meerut police found the dismembered body of former merchant navy officer Saurabh Rajput inside a cement-filled drum; his wife Muskan and her lover Sahil Shukla are charged with murdering and dismembering another case in March, two weeks into her marriage, 22-year-old Pragati of Auraiya in Uttar Pradesh, allegedly conspired with her lover Anurag and hired killers to murder husband Dilip. Again, in March, a woman from Vaishali in Bihar allegedly killed her husband on Holi in a fit of Bijnor in April, Shivani, 25, confessed to lacing husband and railway worker Deepak Kumar's breakfast with sleeping pills and strangling him as he dozed off; she told had neighbours he died of a heart August, police in Bijnor arrested Dilshana, 35, her lover and two hitmen after finding 40-year-old Rahees Ahmad's throat-slit corpse in a sugarcane January 2024, a woman in Bihar's Begusarai, Rani, allegedly strangled her husband Meheshwar Rai to death because he had objected to her making Instagram violence has played out elsewhere: in Jaipur, a husband was set ablaze, allegedly for questioning his wife's fidelity; in Korba (Chhattisgarh), a wife confessed to stabbing her spouse vows and violenceSanjeev Kumar, a lawyer based in Patna, said the terms of modern-day marriages have changed. 'Unlike earlier times, when the sanctity of marriage vows was upheld at all costs, the old dictum 'Shaadi ki hai toh nibhaani toh padegi' no longer holds,' says Kumar.'Instead of opting for a dignified separation, some married women appear to have chosen murder as the path of least resistance. We are witnessing a chilling pattern of crimes where wives, often in collusion with their lovers, are allegedly stepping into the role of executioners,' he psychologyThese cases force hard questions about why a partner would choose bloodshed rather than separation. Experts suggest a toxic mix of betrayal, obsession and desperation. Many suspects were entangled in forbidden affairs; in Sonam and Muskan's cases, their alleged lovers were also the alleged experts stress not all such murders fit into a single mould. 'While every case has its own peculiarities, a distinct pattern emerges: meticulous planning and unwavering resolve,' said a Patna-based police officer, who assisted the Meghalaya police in escorting Sonam to the Bihar capital from Uttar Pradesh's Ghazipur, where she had been apprehended on June Sonam was not formally interrogated in Patna—the Meghalaya police flew her out on June 10—informal conversations with Bihar police officers indicated this was not a crime born out of sudden rage. Rather, it echoed the contours of several recent cases, underpinned in all probability by psychological disturbances. 'Personality disorders, obsessive ideation, delusional thinking and a stark absence of empathy—each appears to have played a part,' said a police details, symbolic powerUnlike impulsive violence, a plotted murder reflects a calculated decision in which the idea of harming another becomes acceptable. For instance, Shivani of Bijnor had allegedly been nursing deep grievances—family discord and entitlements. She allegedly waited for the sedative pills to take effect before strangling her husband, later describing each step to investigators as a calculated some police officers, a secluded honeymoon or remote setting offers a bride a 'perfect cover'. Symbolically, such murders, they say, can be seen as a twisted consummation of marital fantasy—a lover's betrayal turned the stereotype in India (and elsewhere) has been that wives are the victims, not the perpetrators. Indeed, the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) tracks 'partner' murders primarily as violence against women. These recent episodes then may slightly invert a longstanding pattern.A rare historical echo is the famous 1989 case of Kiranjit Ahluwalia, an Indian woman in the UK who burned her abusive husband to death. Her conviction was reduced to manslaughter in recognition of the years of torture contrast, only a handful of pre-2020 Indian cases involved wives killing husbands, and seldom hit national attention. A 2021 Karnataka case (Ashwini vs. Jayaraj) saw a court hand life sentences to a Ashwini and her lover Ananda, who murdered her husband and hid the body in 2016. But until recently, the phenomenon rarely made headlines the way it now statement on marriagesWhat does this surge suggest about marriages in India? By tradition, marriage is portrayed as a lifelong pact, yet when that bond suffocates, escape can feel impossible. For some women, as these cases imply, killing their husbands may have seemed like an easier resolution than facing a messy divorce or living with unresolved patriarchal settings, a married woman's autonomy can be stifled, and divorcing is fraught with stigma. If abusive or manipulative relationships push her beyond endurance, murder may appear as the only decisive, even if perverse, way killing a beloved partner exposes the wreckage of trust and love. Media and police narratives can reduce these stories to crime statistics, but the victims' families live with the human and societal fallout. Such crimes leave lingering questions for families on both also cast a harsh light on contemporary Indian domestic life: on the pressures, betrayals and power struggles that underlie marriages. In turning a knot of love into an instrument of death, these incidents force us to ask how many marital conflicts are being swept under the carpet, and what it will take for society to prevent the next women—traditionally seen as nurturers—are increasingly surfacing as prime accused in spousal killings flips societal assumptions on their head. While each case may stem from complex personal histories, together they raise a chilling possibility: that when love turns loveless and conscience gives way to convenience, marriage itself may become a setting for premeditated betrayal. If compassion is lost, what remains of companionship?Subscribe to India Today MagazineMust Watch
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
Not just history, physics or commerce: Delhi University to teach about heartbreaks, Tinder, red flags and toxic relationships
Delhi University will introduce a new course called Negotiating Intimate Relationships starting from the 2025-26 academic session. The course aims to help undergraduate students navigate complex emotional experiences such as friendship, love, jealousy and break-ups. The Department of Psychology will conduct this course, which will be open as a general elective to students across all disciplines, a TOI report stated. Response to rising concerns over toxic relationships The university decided to offer this course in response to increasing cases of crimes linked to failed or toxic relationships among teenagers and young adults. Multiple high-profile incidents involving toxic relationships have raised questions about the emotional awareness of young adults. From the Shraddha Walkar case in 2022 to more recent Sonam Raghuvanshi , the lack of understanding around healthy boundaries and emotional management has come under scrutiny. In 2022, Shraddha Walkar was killed and dismembered by her live-in partner Aftab Poonawala in Delhi. In May 2025, Raja Raghuvanshi was found dead in Meghalaya. His wife, Sonam Raghuvanshi, later confessed to his murder. In another case in Meerut, a young woman named Muskan was allegedly murdered by her partner under circumstances pointing to emotional conflict and control. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villa For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Villas in Dubai | Search ads Learn More Undo How the course is structured The four-credit course will be taught through three lectures and one tutorial every week. It is available to undergraduate students who have completed Class XII and studied introductory psychology. Divided into four units, the course covers topics such as friendship, love theories, warning signs of toxic relationships, and building healthy emotional bonds. One full unit is dedicated to identifying red flags like jealousy, intimate partner violence and romantic transgressions early in a relationship. Live Events A reaction to real-life incidents Several recent cases in Delhi involving young women murdered by their partners have raised concerns. Between late May and early June this year, three women—Komal (21), Vijaylaxmi (19), and Mehek Jain (18)—were killed by their partners, allegedly driven by jealousy. In one case, Komal was strangled and her body was dumped in the Chhawla canal. Vijaylaxmi was stabbed by her 20-year-old boyfriend, and Mehek was stabbed and then set on fire in a park. These incidents are not isolated. The 2022 Shraddha Walkar case also shocked the nation, where the 27-year-old woman was murdered by her live-in partner Aftab Poonawala, who dismembered and disposed of her body parts across Delhi. Experts say such crimes reflect a deeper issue. 'These aren't isolated crimes. These are symptoms of a deeply rooted inability to regulate emotions, amplified by constant online monitoring of partners. Without early emotional education, this cycle will only worsen,' said a psychologist who did not wish to be named. Inside the course structure The course is divided into four main units: The Psychology of Friendships and Intimate Relationships This unit covers how friendships develop, their effects on individuals, and how they evolve into romantic or long-term bonds. Understanding Love This section introduces theories like Sternberg's triangular theory of love and the two-factor theory. It also includes discussions on sexuality. Signs of Relationships Going Sour This part will help students identify early warning signs in relationships, including jealousy, romantic transgressions, break-ups, and intimate partner violence. Flourishing Relationships The final unit focuses on developing healthy families, relationship satisfaction, communication, and emotional support. Classroom conversations on films, Tinder and boundaries The course is designed to be interactive. Students will analyse their social media connections, take part in self-awareness exercises, and discuss common relationship challenges. Topics will include online dating experiences, forgiveness, and pop culture moments such as the portrayal of partner violence in Kabir Singh and idealised romance in Titanic. "Films reflect how love is often idealised or even normalised when it's toxic. But when analysed in a classroom, they can become powerful tools to deconstruct unhealthy patterns," said Latika Gupta, a faculty member at Delhi University. Gupta added: "If we want to prevent emotional harm, we will have to start having honest conversations early." She also said: "No one teaches how to handle rejection or set boundaries. If we learn this early, some of the tragedies wouldn't happen."
