Odisha acid-attack survivor Pramodini Roul marries long-time friend

An acid attack survivor Pramodini Roul entered into wedlock with her long-time friend Saroj Sahoo in Bhubaneswar on Monday.

Roul described it as the "best day" of her life.

She hails from the state's Jagatsinghpur district and decided to brush aside the traumatic memories of the acid attack. She shared her story from being a bedridden girl to the woman who chased the culprit and put him behind the bars. Roul had survived a deadly acid attack in 2009 when she was only 16 years old.

Sahoo and Roul met each other in 2014 in a hospital where the latter was admitted for her treatment and since then Sahoo had been taking care of her.

Expressing her joy of beginning a new life and receiving support from all, Roul said, "Nothing better could have happened to me than marrying Saroj. He is not only my husband today rather is my constant strength in all my ups and downs. I would like to give a message to every acid attack survivor that they should not feel hopeless, rise up and dream big because you are no less."

"I feel grateful to everyone who has come forward to be a part of my happiness. I thank the entire Odisha and the country for standing by my side during my bad days" she added.

The wedding took place at her village Kanakpur in Jagatsinghpur district on Monday evening.

Sahoo said that he did not realize when his friendship had turned into love.

Roul has acid thrown on her face by an army official Santosh Kumar Bedanta on May 4, 2009. She spent seven months in a hospital in Cuttack after the attack.

She was bedridden for 5 years in her house. When her condition deteriorated she was admitted to a private hospital in Cuttack thereafter she met Sahoo.

He proposed to Roul in 2016 and the engagement was conducted in Lucknow in 2018. Many survivors of acid attack also participated in the marriage.

( With inputs from ANI )