Crime against women : Woman attacked with acid

She suffered first degree burns on the face, neck and chest.

BAHAWALPUR/ MULTAN:

A 40-year-old woman was attacked with a corrosive liquid, police said. She was taken to a hospital, where doctors treating her later said that she would likely survive.

They said she had suffered first degree burns on the face, neck and chest. They said it seemed that the solution was not concentrated.

A case has been registered with Saddar police against three men nominated by the woman’s husband Muhammad Ramazan, a resident of Chak 90-F near Hasilpur.

Ramazan told police that the three men, he said had had a rivalry with, had broken into their house at night and threw the liquid at his wife while she was asleep.

He said he had been on the ground floor when he heard her shout. He rushed upstairs and saw the assailants flee through a window.

He said he called some neighbours, who helped him take his wife to Bahawal Victoria Hospital.

The station house officer told The Express Tribune that a police team was investigating the matter. He said the incident was likely a result of an old rivalry between the suspects and the woman’s husband.

He said the police were waiting for her medico-legal report.

Two convicted of acid attack

Anti terrorism courts in Muzaffargarh and Dera Ghazi Khan awarded life imprisonment to two men on Saturday and Friday.

On Saturday, Farooq Shah, 25, was found guilty of throwing acid at a 13-year-old who had refused to marry him a few months ago and sentenced him to 28 years in prison.

The Sanawan resident was taken to a hospital, where she was reported to be in critical condition. The girl, however, survived the attack.

An FIR had been registered against Shah under Sections 324, 336 and 7 of the Anti Terrorism Act.

Police said Shah had been threatening the girl with murder after she refused to marry him. He had thrown acid at her while she was on her way to a neighbourhood market.

The court also ordered Shah to pay Rs1.3 million fine. Of the 1.3 million, the judge observed, Rs1 million would be paid to the victim.

On Friday, Wahid Bakhsh was found guilty of throwing acid at Faqir Bakhsh in 2011 in Shah Jamaal area. Saddar police said Faqir Bakhsh had allegedly tried to stop his marriage.

The attack had left Faqir Bakhsh blind. Wahid Bakhsh was arrested in 2012. He was sentenced to 28 years in jail and Rs1.4 million fine.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 30^th, 2013.