Thaindian News

Hyderabad, Dec 11 (IANS) One of the two girl students injured in an acid attack in Warangal town of Andhra Pradesh, Thursday alleged that a spurned suitor was among the assailants. K. Swapnika, who is undergoing treatment at a hospital here, told a television channel that Srinivas was among the three assailants who threw acid on her and her friend when they were returning home from the college on a two-wheeler.

She said Srinivas, who was her neighbour, was harassing her for the last few months as she had spurned his proposal.

“My parents had brought this to the notice of his family and they had tendered an apology, but there was no change in his attitude and he kept harassing me,” said the girl.

Swapnika and Pranitha, both engineering students of Kakatiya Institute of Technology in Warangal, 130 km from here, were injured when the assailants on a motorcycle overtook them and threw acid on them. The assailants managed to escape and are yet to be traced, the police said.

Swapnika, who was riding pillion, suffered serious burn injuries on the face and her both eyes were damaged. She was shifted to state capital Hyderabad WEdnesday night and doctors said her condition remained critical.

Her friend escaped with minor injuries as she was wearing a helmet while riding the bike.

Earlier, Srinivas had also damaged a two-wheeler of Swapnika’s father K. Devender Rao, who works as a security guard in a bank. She said they lodged a complaint with the police but no action was taken against Srinivas.

Warangal district superintendent of police V.C. Sajjanar, however, denied the charge of police inaction. Srinivas was arrested in October on a complaint by Swapnika’s parents that he damaged their vehicle but he was later released on bail, he said.

He said special teams were formed to arrest Srinivas and two others involved in the attack.

Meanwhile, educational institutions remained closed in Warangal as students’ organisations and activists of political parties took to streets demanding strong action against the culprits.

The incident sent shock waves among students and parents. A series of such incidents have taken places in the state in recent months.

In April this year, a spurned lover attacked an intermediate student with knife in Kurnool district while an engineering student in Vijayawada slit the throat of his college mate after she rejected his advances.

In November last year, a college lecturer in Srikakulam district threw acid on a BSc final year student for spurning his advances.

In 2004, an MCA student stabbed his junior to death in the examination hall of a college in Vijayawada after the girl rejected his marriage proposal.