NEW DELHI (TIP): The Supreme Court on April 10 directed private hospitals to provide free treatment, including specialized surgeries, to acid attack victims and asked government authorities to take action against them if they fail to comply with its order.

After laying down a stringent regulatory mechanism for sale of acid to curb acid attacks on women, the court asked private hospitals to bear the entire cost of medical treatment of acid attack survivors, including costly plastic and corrective surgeries.

A social justice bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and U U Lalit said hospitals must also provide free medicine, food and other facilities to such victims. Meanwhile, the Centre informed the court that 309 cases of acid attacks were registered in the country in 2014 out of which 185 incidents were from Uttar Pradesh.Madhya Pradesh witnessed the second highest number of cases with 57. No acid attack incident was reported in any Union Territory except Delhi where 27 such cases were registered last year.