Minister Achar visits acid attack victim at city hospital, assures all possible help

The victim, a minor girl, came under attack from a youth on Friday; a case under POSCO has been registered against him

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Karnataka Minister for Women and Child Development Halappa Achar on Saturday visited the victim of an acid attack- a minor girl - currently undergoing treatment at the Minto Hospital here. The girl was admitted to the hospital for further treatment of her burn injuries on Friday.

The minister spoke to the parents of the minor and assured them of all possible help in the treatment of the victim. The incident took place near Narayanappa Lake on Kanakapura bypass road around 6 pm on Friday when a jilted youth, identified as Sumanth, 22, a resident of Kurupet in Kanakapura town of Ramanagar district, threw acid on the face of the 17-year-old girl.

According to the Kanakapura police who arrested the youth soon after the incident, Sumanth worked in a car garage and the victim was studying in a college. Both knew each other but of late the girl had been maintaining distance from Sumanth. This is said to have enraged him leading to the acid attack.

"The accused came on a two-wheeler and poured acid on the girl’s face, before fleeing from the scene. The girl is said to have sustained burn injuries on her face, neck and left eye. She was shifted to Minot hospital in Bengaluru after initial treatment at a hospital in Kanakapura.

Ramanagar SP Karthik Reddy also visited the scene of crime and took note of the health condition of the victim later. A case under Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POSCO) has been registered against the youth at Kanakapura police station.

Speaking to reporters, minister Achar said that the entire cost of treatment of the victim would be borne by the state government. "We will also ensure strict action against miscreants involved in such heinous acts," he added.