Bride’s uncle throws acid on groom, brother

SUKKUR: A man, allegedly involved in throwing acid at two brothers in New Pind, was arrested by the Sukkur police near midnight on Wednesday.

Muhammad Shahid and Muhammad Owais Abbasi were returning home on a motorcycle with Muhammad Ali Gopang and when they passed over the railway tracks, Gopang threw acid on them. They were rushed to the Civil hospital’s casualty ward.

Doctors said Owais received 15 per cent burn injuries and his face and left eye were affected, while Shahid’s back and shoulder were affected. Owais was transferred to a hospital in Karachi late Wednesday night.

Shahid registered a case with the New Pind police and they arrested Gopang, who was to appear in court on Thursday.

He told The Express Tribune that his younger brother Owais was in love with a neighbour Dhani Bux Gopang’s daughter. Upon Owais’ insistence, the girl’s parents agreed to the wedding, which was to take place on February 12.

However, the girl’s maternal uncle Muhammad Ali Gopang was not happy and threatened the girl’s father Dhani Bux Gopang and Owais. Shahid claimed that Muhammad Ali Gopang went to pick them up from his mobile shop at Clock Tower, the previous night and threw acid on them. “I tried to chase him down and even though I was injured I couldn’t catch him,” he added.

Sources said that Owais and Bux’s daughter eloped a few weeks ago to tie the knot. Elders intervented, forcing the couple to return home. After the elders convinced Bux, he agreed to marry his daughter to Owais. The sources also agreed that it was Gopang who threw the acid at the victims.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 4^th, 2011.