3 held in Srinagar for acid attack on woman

SRINAGAR: Three men were arrested in connection with the acid attack on a woman in the Hawal area here, police said on Wednesday.

A 24-year-old woman suffered burn injuries after acid was thrown at her on Tuesday evening. Police officials said field investigations and technical analysis led the policemen to prime accused Sajid Altaf Rather, a resident of Dalgate here, who was arrested.

During questioning, the accused revealed that he had been stalking the woman after she rejected his engagement proposal, they said.

Rather had kept a note of the timings of the victim’s movement from home to her workplace and back, the officials said.

The accused worked in a medical shop and on Tuesday evening took a break from work and went on a scooter towards the place where the victim used to work. He was accompanied by one Momin Nazir Sheikh, they said.

“The accused followed the victim on her way back home in the evening (of Tuesday) and threw acid on her. The accused then fled and went back to the shop,” the officials said. They added Sheikh was also arrested when more evidence in the case came forth.

The two-wheeler used in the commission of the heinous crime was also seized by police, the officials said. The accused duo revealed that they had purchased the acid from one of Rather’s acquaintances Mohd Saleem, who worked as a motor mechanic at a shop, they said.

Saleem has also been arrested for questioning, the officials said, adding the shop from where the acid was purchased, in violation of the Supreme Court directions, has been sealed.