Cuttack, May 12: Professional rivalry took an ugly turn as a 19-year-old girl sustained critical injuries after two unidentified men threw acid on her near Gopalpur this morning.
The victim, Pinki Behera of Srikoruan area under Sadar police limits, was on her way to attend computer classes at a private institute near Telenga Pentha when the incident occurred.
Police sources said around 7.30am, two motorcycle-borne men threw acid on the girl, who was on her bicycle. The victim was rushed to the S.C.B. Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack, in a critical condition.
“As usual, I had left home for my computer classes in the morning. Two men on a motorcycle threw acid on me and fled,” said Pinki.
Doctors said she had sustained around 30 per cent burns injuries to her face, hand, chest and stomach. “After preliminary treatment, she was admitted to the surgery ward. Her condition is stable now,” said a doctor.
Hospital authorities said they would bear the cost of Pinki’s treatment.
Pinki’s family members suspect the involvement of one of her former colleagues behind the pre-planned attack. They said Pinki might have been attacked because of a past enmity with a woman named Anju, who was her colleague in a Balasore-based NGO a few years ago. Anju hails from Bhubaneswar.
“When my daughter joined the NGO, Anju was asked to leave the job. From that day, Anju has been continuously threatening her. We suspect she masterminded this attack,” Pinki’s mother said. Following repeated threats, Pinki was forced to quit her job after a four-year stint in the NGO, alleged her family members.
“A case has been registered based on the statements of the victim and her family. We are investigating the matter. We are taking all possible aspects into account,” said a police officer, adding that the motorcycle that the assailants had used did not have a number plate. This is the second such incident in the city in the last two years. On July 27, 2009, two students of Emarti Devi Women’s College had sustained burn injuries following an acid attack outside the college campus.
