Vindictive love: Woman attacked with acid blames spurned suitor

BAHAWALPUR:

A woman was attacked with acid, allegedly by a scorned suitor, on Monday. Police said the victim, a resident of Basti Ridaan, had told them that one of her neighbours, Shahbaz, had been pursuing her. She said that she had complained about him to her mother who had scolded Shahbaz.

On Monday, the victim, her mother and her sister were on their way home when Shahbaz stopped his motorcycle near them and threw acid at her face. The victim was taken to Bahawal Victoria Hospital.

Police asked her to call Shahbaz to ask him to get her medicines and to meet her at Dubai Chowk. When he arrived, he was arrested.

Speaking to media from the lock up, Shahbaz said he had a romantic relationship with the victim. He said he had gotten the medicines she had asked for over the phone. “Why would I do that if I was the culprit? She might be trying to frame me,” he said.

Doctors said she had sustained burns to half of her face and could lose one eye.

*Names have been changed to protect identity

Published in The Express Tribune, April 22^nd, 2015.