Rathi’s refusal to marry her kin led to acid attack, says lawyer

Ankur Panwar, a relative who hurled acid Preeti Rathi, wanted take revenge as she had refused to marry him and decided to peruse her career as a nurse with Indian Navy, prosecution argued on Wednesday in the ongoing final arguments in the case.

Ankur Panwar, a relative who hurled acid Preeti Rathi, wanted take revenge as she had refused to marry him and decided to peruse her career as a nurse with Indian Navy, prosecution argued on Wednesday in the ongoing final arguments in the case.

The special public prosecutor Ujwal Nikam on Tuesday began his final arguments in the Rathi acid attack case before the special woman’s court. The prosecution alleged that Rathi’s death was homicidal as her organs were damaged due to acid attack.

A relative of Rathi, Panwar, has been charged with murder after he allegedly flung acid at her at the Bandra railway terminus on May 2, 2013. Rathi was travelling to Mumbai for a job at a nursing post with the Ministry of Defence at the INHS Asvini Hospital in Colaba. Rathi succumbed to injuries on June 1, 2013.

On Wednesday the prosecution contended that Panwar wanted to marry Rathi and he also had proposed her for marriage. However, Rathi had turned down his proposal. “Panwar was already annoyed because of the rejection and later when he learnt that Rathi had decided to shift to Mumbai for job his anger grew. He realized that he will never get her, hence he planned the attack,” Nikam argued.

The prosecution further contended that Panwar followed Rathi from Delhi to Mumbai. As soon as she got down at the platform on Bandra railway station, he grabbed a chance and flung acid at her. Nikam referred to testimony of five eye witnesses who narrated the incident.

Further the prosecution also referred to the testimony of 11 doctors who treated Rathi and contended that she died because of the acid attack. The prosecution would continue their arguments on Thursday.