A 22-year-old woman in Odisha’s Kalahandi district was attacked with acid by a man after she spurned his advances, police said on Tuesday, indicating the easy availability of corrosive liquid despite a 2013 Supreme Court ban on its open sale.
Police said 35-year-old Parsuram Majhi had been stalking the woman, a resident of Kalampur block of the district, for last one year and wanted to establish a physical relationship with her. However, she rejected Majhi’s proposal several times.
Majhi is yet to be arrested.
“The boy used to threaten her with dire consequences. Two days ago he had left his village telling everyone that he was going to Hyderabad for a job. He was actually seeking revenge,” said a police officer in Kalahandi.
Majhi intercepted her at Bankapalla square on Monday when she was on her way to attend computer classes and threw acid on her face. He fled the spot soon after the attack.
The woman was rushed to a hospital in district headquarters of Bahwanipatna and is undergoing treatment. She has received acid injuries over her face and hands.
India has the highest incidence of acid attacks in the world, with the number of such cases rising from 80 to 307 between 2011 and 2016.
{{/usCountry}}India has the highest incidence of acid attacks in the world, with the number of such cases rising from 80 to 307 between 2011 and 2016.
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