Sonali Mukherjee, a victim of an acid attack in 2003, had appealed for the right to end her life when her whole life was crumbling around her. However today, her life has turned around. Sonali Mukherjee who works as a clerk in the welfare department of the Bokaro deputy commissioner’s office recently married Chittaranjan Tiwari, an electrical engineer from Jharkhand.
Chittaranjan got to know about me through social media,that is how he contacted me. He funded my treatment and that’s where it all started. We started chatting over the phone and soon we became friends. Then one day he proposed me for marriage. I informed my family and he introduced me to his family. After that both the families gave their consent, we tied the knot on 15th April 2015 in Bokaro court.
– Sonali Mukherjee
It was on the 2nd of April 2003, that a 17-year-old Sonali Mukherjee’s life changed forever. The teenager was attacked with acid by three of her neighbours, while she was sleeping on the terrace of her home in Dhanbad. Sonali had earlier complained about these men who had also been harassing her over a period of time.
The acid attack left Sonali totally blind, partially deaf and melted the skin on her skull, neck, chest and back.
While her grandfather passed away in shock after the incident, her mother went into depression. In the 12 years since the attack, a penniless Sonali has fought with the administration to get financial aid for her treatment. She approached the Ministry of Women and Child Development, which in turn forwarded her request for help to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund.The estimated cost of Sonali’s treatment was about Rs 30 lakh. Sonali’s father had to sell his land and jewelry to pay for her surgeries. Later Anu Ranjan’s NGO Beti pitched in by raising the amount for Sonali’s treatment.
When her attackers who were sentenced to 9 years imprisonment, were let out on bail in just 3 years, Sonali and her father appealed for justice to higher courts and even the Chief Minister of Jharkhand. However when all their pleas fell on deaf ears, a frustrated Sonali appealed for euthanasia in 2012. “I want justice from the judiciary... I don’t want to live. At least, give me the right to die...”, were Sonali’s exact words at that time.
Today, Sonali is in a much happier place. She got married to Chittaranjan Tiwari in a local court in Jharkhand on April 15th. It is said that Chittaranjan first saw Sonali and heard her story when she appeared as a contestant on the popular show Kaun Banega Crorepati hosted by Amitabh Bachchan. Chittaranjan then befriended her through Facebook and fell in love.
“My life had come to a standstill but Chittaranjan has brought me back the joy and happiness which was lacking,” Sonali said, after coming out of the court room, according to a report by News18.com.
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