Trigger Warning: Acid Attack
Anisa Nisar, from Eidgah, is a young woman with big dreams. She loved singing, music, traveling, and spending time with her family. Anisa studied at Angels Home in Hawal Sazgari Pura before attending Amar Singh College through IGNOU. She was passionate about becoming a musician and also dreamed of being a fashion designer. To follow her passion for makeup artistry, she enrolled in a makeup course. Her life was full of hope until a tragic attack changed everything.
The attack that changed everything
It was February 1st, an ordinary winter evening for Anisa Nisar. On her way home from work, she was filled with joy and happiness as she thought about her sister’s pregnancy. But everything changed in an instant. A man, her former fiancé, hurled acid at her—forever changing her life. Here, in her own words, Anisa scrubs her story of survival, pain, and unyielding hope.
A man, her former fiancé, hurled acid at her—forever changing her life. Here, in her own words, Anisa scrubs her story of survival, pain, and unyielding hope.
‘It was 5:40 pm, and I felt someone stalking me. My heart was racing,’ Anisa recalls. On reaching home, just steps away from her door, her attacker threw acid at her. ‘I couldn’t see anything; my face felt like it was burning. I thought someone poured hot water on me until the pain intensified.‘
Passersby helped her home, where her mother rushed to her aid. ‘My mother cried, ‘Who did this to you?’ I could only say, ‘Mom, save me.’‘ She was taken to the hospital, where doctors worked tirelessly, but local facilities couldn’t treat her severe injuries. After six days, she was shifted to Chennai for advanced care.
Anisa’s painful road to recovery
For months, Anisa underwent numerous surgeries, each lasting up to 15 hours. ‘They took skin from my thighs for my face and from my mouth for my eyes. The pain was unbearable,’ she recalls. Her eyes were stitched shut, and she spent over seven months unable to see.
‘When the stitches were finally removed, I thought I’d see my parents again. But I couldn’t see anything, just faint light,’ she says. ‘Every day, I told myself, ‘Today will be the day.’ Slowly, after a year, my vision improved slightly.’
Despite the physical and emotional agony, Anisa remained hopeful. ‘I held on to the belief that one day, I’d be okay. My mother’s encouragement kept me alive.’
Anisa’s assailant was no stranger—he was her fiancé.
Anisa’s assailant was no stranger—he was her fiancé. The relationship had been turbulent, marked by his increasing demands for money. ‘He asked for Rs. 45,000 and even demanded a gold coin my family had given me,‘ she shares. When her family intervened, she decided to end the engagement.
After the breakup, his behavior escalated. ‘He stalked me, uploaded my pictures on Facebook, and threatened me. When we complained to the police, he disappeared for a while. But on February 1st, he found me and carried out the attack.’
In court, Anisa faced her attacker during his trial. ‘There was no guilt in his eyes. He destroyed my life and my family’s happiness without remorse,‘ she says.
The attack didn’t just scar Anisa physically—it took a devastating emotional and financial toll. Her treatment has cost her family over 80 lakh rupees, a burden borne by her father, a tailor. ‘They suffered more than I did. My family lived on a single bed for two months while I underwent treatment in Chennai.‘
The attack didn’t just scar Anisa physically—it took a devastating emotional and financial toll. Her treatment has cost her family over 80 lakh rupees, a burden borne by her father, a tailor.
Even as she heals, the memories haunt her. ‘When I pass the road where it happened, I feel suffocated. I remember how everything was fine before February 1st.‘
Finding strength and moving forward
The attacker received a life sentence, but for Anisa, it isn’t enough. ‘He destroyed my life. No punishment can match the suffering I’ve endured.’
Despite her struggles, Anisa is determined to move forward. ‘I haven’t thought about a new companion, but life is moving ahead. My only goal now is to fulfill the dreams I once had.’
Anisa’s story is one of immense courage. Her journey reminds us of the resilience of the human spirit and the urgent need for stricter measures against acid attacks. ‘What happened to me has happened, but I won’t let it define my future,’ she says.
Her mother’s words echo as a beacon of hope: ‘If this wrong has happened to you, you should still live. One day, you’ll say, ‘My life is better now.’‘
As Anisa reflects on her painful experience, she says, ‘What happened to my life has happened. I just want to move forward and fulfill the dreams I had.’
As Anisa reflects on her painful experience, she says, ‘What happened to my life has happened. I just want to move forward and fulfill the dreams I had.’ Despite enduring immense pain and suffering, her story is a reminder that no matter the obstacles, the key to healing and hope is moving forward with courage and faith.
