New Delhi

Yet another acid attack

NEW DELHI: The mystery behind the alleged “acid attacks” on young girls and women in North-East Delhi deepened further on Tuesday with another woman being targeted in Brahmpuri. The police suspect involvement of a “mentally disturbed” man behind the attacks.

The incident took place around 8 a.m. when a woman (20) was on her way to a public school in Gautampuri where she works as a teacher.

According to the victim, she was passing by a mosque when someone threw some corrosive chemical on her from behind. She felt a burning sensation on her back. When she turned around, she saw a man fleeing.

“She could not see his face. The assailant was of below average height. He was wearing a blue shirt and black trousers,” said the victim’s father. The woman was taken to hospital from where she was discharged after treatment.

Later in the day, local residents blocked traffic on the Brahmpuri main road raising slogans against the police and demanding arrest of the person involved in the attacks. They alleged that over half-a-dozen incidents had taken place in the past one month but no concrete measures had been taken.

Shehzad, a local resident, said: “We all are scared to send our children to school. The girls are also afraid to go out on their own. The police have not been able to catch him so far. More police personnel should be deployed in the area to prevent any such attacks in future.”

Stating that efforts were on to catch the assailant, DCP (North-East Delhi) S.S. Yadav said: “The man appears to be mentally disturbed.”

Suspecting that the miscreant is a local, plainclothesmen have been deployed in the area, particularly in New Usmanpur, to arrest him. They are also trying to find out the nature of the chemical he has been using.

In a similar case reported on November 1, a young woman sustained burns on her thighs when a man threw some “liquid” on her at Gautampuri.

In yet another incident, a Class XII girl student was attacked in Gautampuri on Diwali evening. The victim sustained burns on her arm and back.

It is alleged that another girl living in the area was also targeted by the “maniac” on October 20. She had sustained burns on her right hand. According to locals, a 13-year-old girl was attacked in the same area on October 30. They said most of the incidents were reported from Gali No.23 of Brahmpuri.

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