A 20-year-old student of Class XII in a Government school sustained 60 per cent burn injuries after she was attacked with acid by her neighbour in Outer Delhi’s Begumpur area. He attacked her when she rejected his marriage proposal.
The victim’s aunt also suffered 20 per cent burn injuries in the acid attack when she tried to stop the accused from attacking the victim. Preliminary investigations revealed that the 25-year-old accused, Manoj, a labourer who is married and has two children, had been stalking the victim for the last six months and was a habitual eveteaser of Rajiv Nagar area of Begumpur and several times, woman had complained about him with the police.
He has been estranged from his wife for the last three months. Police said that the incident occurred around 8.30 pm when the victim, identified as Parvati, was on her way to the market with her aunt. “Both the victims had decided to take a shortcut and were walking to a market nearby when Manoj waylaid them and a heated argument ensued. He threw acid in a fit of rage,” a senior police officer said. The accused escaped soon after leaving the bottle of acid behind.
Passersby made a call to the police control room. The victims were taken to Sanjay Gandhi Hospital where the aunt is presently admitted. Parvati was later shifted to lNJP Hospital. A case has been registered at Begumpur Police Station in Outer Delhi under appropriate Sections of IPC and several teams have been formed to nab the absconding accused, Manoj.