No IDs, no questions: acid flows freely in Delhi’s neighbourhood markets

At a stationery-cum-general store in south-west Delhi’s Palam Colony, when asked for the most effective and cheapest toilet cleaner, the shopkeeper sought a plastic bottle to pour the liquid into.

“₹20 for 500 ml. If you need a stronger liquid, I can get it from a manufacturer based in Kapashera at a slightly higher price of ₹50 per litre,” he said . Ground visits by The Hindu across Delhi revealed that despite laws meant to regulate the sale of corrosive substances, acid remains easily accessible without ID proof or any inquiry into the purpose of purchase.