Panchkula: Stalker throws acid on minor after failed rape bid, arrested

The accused, identified as Ravi Khan (35), runs a shop in Barwala and has been arrested. The accused had been allegedly sexually exploiting her for the past seven months

A 16-year-old sustained burn injuries on her neck, face, and body in an acid attack on Friday night for resisting a rape attempt by a shopkeeper from Barwala in Panchkula.

The victim stays with her family in Barwala. As per the complaint, the victim said that on Friday, at around 6 pm, she was going to Ambala to attend a marriage of a relative, when the accused started following her on his motorcycle asking her to come along. When the victim refused, he threatened to publicly humiliate her. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The accused, identified as Ravi Khan (35), runs a shop in Barwala and has been arrested. The accused had been allegedly sexually exploiting her for the past seven months.

The victim stays with her family in Barwala. As per the complaint, the victim said that on Friday, at around 6 pm, she was going to Ambala to attend a marriage of a relative, when the accused started following her on his motorcycle asking her to come along. When the victim refused, he threatened to publicly humiliate her.

Fearing public humiliation, she sat on the motorcycle, and the accused took her to a room where he tried to force himself on her. When she resisted, he assaulted her, and as she raised the alarm, he picked up a glass and threw some liquid on her face.

The victim turned away but sustained burn injuries on her neck, face and body. The victim ran out of the room and went to Primary Health Centre, Bataur, from where she was referred to Sector 6 civil hospital in Panchkula. The sources at the hospital, on condition of anonymity, said that the victim sustained 10-12% burn injuries to the upper part of her body.

A case under sections 326A (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 323 (voluntarily causes hurt) of IPC and section 6 (aggravated penetrative sexual assault) of the POCSO act was registered in police station Chandimandir.

The victim, the eldest of five siblings, told the police that she came in contact with the accused around eight months back. She said the accused, around seven months back, barged into her house when she was alone and raped her. He threatened to kill her if she disclosed this to anyone. Fearing for her life, she remained silent, and the accused kept sexually exploiting her repeatedly.

The victim told the police she recently got engaged to a youth hailing from Ambala. The accused had been forcing the victim to call off the engagement. The victim told the police that the accused had threatened her that he will not let her marry anyone.