On Tuesday, a man threw acid on a 24-year-old woman in Srinagar, Kashmir as she had rejected his engagement proposal.
The acid attack happened when Sajid Altaf, a resident of Buchwara, Dalgate had been stalking her as since she was not interested in him, he wanted to take revenge.
Rakesh Balwal, Srinagar’s senior superintendent of police said: “The woman had rejected the advances of Sajid Altaf, a resident of Buchwara, Dalgate. He had been stalking her as he wanted to take revenge.”
Balwal said on Tuesday the man allegedly attacked her near Hawal when she was returning from work. “The accused, who worked in a medical shop, left early on Tuesday, and rode to the area where the woman worked, with his friend Momin Nazir Sheikh, a resident of Mehjoornagar,” he said.
The Srinagar Police on Wednesday arrested a man and his two accomplices behind the acid attack on a 24-year-old woman on Tuesday.
The acid was purchased from Mohammad Saleem of Padshahi Bagh, a motor mechanic who works near Durganag, Dalgate area, said police.
Soon after the incident, the police formed a special investigation team with SP North Raja Zuhaib-JKPS as the chairman and SDPO Khanyar, SHO Nowhatta, SHO Safakadal, and SHO Women Police Station as members. The investigation and technical analysis led the police to Sajid, Sheikh, and Saleem.
Meanwhile, the workshop where Saleem worked has also been sealed for violation of the Supreme Court guidelines. The sale of acid to a commoner without due scrutiny and processes is banned.
After the preliminary investigation and technical analysis, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by Superintendent of Police Raja Zuhaib said the victim, who is from Srinagar’s Eidgah area, had rejected the engagement proposal of the accused who started stalking her. “The accused [also from Srinagar] used to work in a medical shop.
On February 1, he took a break from work and went on a two-wheeler to the place where the woman used to work. As the victim was going back home late in the evening, acid was thrown on her,” the police said. According to hospital sources, the victim’s face and one eye were affected.
Capital punishment sought
Kashmir witnessed massive public outrage on Wednesday over the acid attack on a 24-year-old woman in Srinagar, even as the police arrested three persons, including the main accused, in the incident. Hundreds of youth held a demonstration in Kashmir, Srinagar’s Jehangeer Chowk and demanded capital punishment for the attacker.
National Conference youth leader Salman Sagar demanded “swift action against the culprits”. Peoples Conference termed the incident “the worst example of violence against women”. “There is no place for any such action in any civilized society. We stand by the victim in this hour of pain and hope all the necessary steps are taken by the authorities to provide justice to her,” the party spokesman said.
Peoples Democratic Party leader Mohit Bhan said it was time “we put an end to targeted abuse and harassment women face online and offline every day”.
