She was merely 18-years-old when an acid attack while she was asleep on the terrace of her her house changed her life forever. After struggling for years with surgeries and shortage of funds, she has finally been given a government job.
Sonali Mukherjee has been given a class three job in a government school Jharkhand's Bokaro city, an official said Wednesday. She was handed over the appointment letter by Chief Minister Hemant Soren Tuesday at Bokaro.
"We respect Sonali as she is one of the few women who raised their voice against atrocities. Everyone in India knows her for her courage," said Soren.
Mukherjee suffered the acid attack on April 22, 2003. She was asleep on the terrace of her house in Dhanbad when she felt a burning liquid splashed on her, melting away the flesh on her face, neck, the right part of her chest and lower torso.
The three men responsible, including a married man, were held and two of them were even convicted. But they were later granted bail by the Jharkhand High Court.
Mukherjee and her father, who has sold all his land and family jewels to fund her treatment and legal fees, are fighting to get the bail cancelled. They are also coping with threats from the accused, besides paying innumerable visits to hospitals for her treatment.
The three men, one of who was in his 40s and one was an 18-year-old, would tail her everyday, pass lewd comments and harass her. When she protested, she faced the acid attack.
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Mukherjee has undergone many surgeries. She also appeared in "Kaun Banega Crorepati" show.
The Jharkhand government had assured her a job.
After getting the appointment letter, Mukherjee said: "I must thank all the people of the country who fought for me and supported me."