Delhi acid attack: Accused not found at incident site, probe reveals new twist

In a dramatic turn of events in the alleged acid attack on a 20-year-old second-year student of Open Learning near Laxmi Bai College in Delhi’s Ashok Vihar area on Sunday morning, investigators found that the accused mentioned by the complainant was not present at the incident site. According to a senior police official, the alleged accused, identified as Jitender, and the motorcycle mentioned by the complainant were not present at the incident site. Instead, Jitender was present in Karol Bagh, nearly 5.2 km away. Moreover, his two associates, Ishan and Arman, named in the complaint, live in Mangolpuri and have no connection with Jitender, the officer mentioned.

Another interesting twist in the case is that Jitender’s wife had filed a complaint of rape at the Bhalaswa Dairy police station against the 20-year-old student’s father days before the alleged acid attack, the official further mentioned. The wife of one of the key accused had worked in the factory of the student’s father. She accused him of sexually assaulting her for the past three to four years, and upon investigation, an FIR was lodged based on her complaint, the senior police officer elaborated.

The complaint regarding the attack may have been made to settle personal scores; however, this is a preliminary assumption in the case, according to investigators. Moreover, investigators did not find any traces of acid at the incident site.

According to the police, a call was received from Deep Chand Bandhu Hospital on October 26 regarding the admission of the woman with burn injuries. On inquiry, the victim told officers that she had gone to Laxmi Bai College for an extra class. While she was walking towards the college, she was approached by three men on a motorcycle — identified as Jitender, Ishan, and Arman, all residents of Mukundpur. The victim told police that Ishan handed over a bottle to Arman, who threw acid on her. She tried to shield her face and suffered burns on both hands. The attackers fled the spot soon after the incident.

After the incident came to light, Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena instructed Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golchha to ensure that the guilty are arrested and brought to book at the earliest, and the most stringent punishment under law is sought against them.