The Supreme Court on Monday described acid attacks as “uncivilised and heartless” and undeserving of clemency, PTI reported. The court was hearing a case filed by the Himachal Pradesh government against the High Court’s 2008 order which reduced the prison sentence for two convicts who had thrown acid on a 19-year-old woman in 2004.

The High Court had also ordered them to pay Rs 25,000 each.

The top court said it could not be oblivious to her emotional distress “which cannot be compensated”.

A bench of Justices AM Khanwilkar and Ajay Rastogi told the convicts, who have served a five-year jail term ordered by the High Court, to pay Rs 1.5 lakh each to the woman as additional compensation. The court also asked the Himachal Pradesh government to pay her an appropriate compensation under the Victim Compensation Scheme.

The court described the attack as the “darkest day” of the woman’s life.

The bench was told that the convicts had served the sentence and paid the fine the High Court had ordered them to.