New Delhi, May 5 -- The Supreme Court on Monday closed a major legal gap in the rehabilitation of acid attack victims by directing that persons forced to ingest acid will be entitled to benefits meant for disabled persons. The court also urged the Centre to consider enhancing the punishment under the law to deter persons from indulging in such crimes. The top court noted that under the Right of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016 (RPwD), the Schedule of disabilities includes acid attack victims as persons with external disfigurement and not internal scars. This proved disadvantageous to victims forced to drink acid because the damage to their internal organs is not externally visible. While issuing this order, the bench clarified that the addition to the Schedule shall be "deemed" to have been included since the coming into force of the Act and asked the Centre to formally notify it. The court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by one Shaheen Malik, who underwent the trauma herself. P8...