Balasore, April 9: Police today arrested a 17-year-old youth, who had allegedly thrown acid on a 16-year-old girl in November last year and had been absconding since then.

It was alleged that the girl's uncle manhandled the victim because the boy, who belongs to Nilgiri, had passed some lewd remarks at her in November.

In a bid to teach her a lesson, "the accused had thrown acid on her", said police superintendent Awinash Kumarhe.

The victim, a Plus Two first-year student, was returning home after attending a private computer class on a bicycle, when the incident happened.

The accused, who came on a motorcycle, allegedly threw acid on her and fled from the spot.

The victim was rushed to a local sub-divisional hospital and later shifted to the SCB Medical College and Hospital.

She had suffered severe burn injuries on her face, chest and other places of the body.

For a few months, she was unable to speak and the police could not take any action.

Last month, after she had recovered from the injuries, she reportedly named the accused.

The civil society organisations had threatened to launch an agitation demanding the boy's immediate arrest.

Inspector in-charge of Nilgiri police station Kartick Chandra Mallick said the accused had been booked under sections 326(A), 307 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code.

He was produced before the court of chief judicial magistrate and he was sent to correctional home in Angul.