Bhubaneswar, July 6: Goons threw acid on a 50-year-old schoolteacher today while he was returning home at Balipatna on the city outskirts.

The victim, Surendra Mohapatra, is a physical education teacher at a high school. He has suffered burn injuries on his chest, face and other body parts.

Eyewitnesses said Mohapatra was returning home from school on his motorcycle when he was stopped by two motorcycle-borne men.

"The goons stopped the two-wheeler and threw some liquid from a bottle and fled from the spot. We rushed to the spot when we heard him screaming in pain and informed the police," said an eyewitness.

Later, the victim, who has suffered 20 per cent burns, was rushed to Capital Hospital.

When asked, the victim said he didn't know the attackers. "I have never seen them before. I do not know why they attacked me. However, some of my students told me two days ago that a few people had been visiting the school asking about me," said Mohapatra.

Residents, too, expressed shock as the teacher has been posted in the school for past several years and is quite popular.

"He is a nice person and always behaves properly. We have no idea why he was attacked," said Saroj Samal, a local resident.

Police suspected past enmity might be the reason behind the attack. "We have started an investigation to ascertain the motive behind the crime," said deputy commissioner of police Satyabrata Bhoi.

In September last year, a 25-year-old was arrested for throwing acid at another youth near Old Station Bazar under Laxmisgar police jurisdiction.

The accused, Nunu Babu Soni, 25, a native of Bihar, was arrested later.

Road demolished

A joint eviction team consisting of the Bhubaneswar Development Authority, municipal corporation, general administration department, drainage division and police today demolished a road across Gangua rivulet opposite the Nuagaon petrol pump.

The team couldn't remove it on Friday due to rain.

There was need for chain mounted excavators and today the drainage division provided such a machine to the team following which the job was done.

Development authority enforcement officer Pramod Kumar Patro said two land owners had illegally constructed a road across the channel blocking the flow of water. A vast area of nearby Gangotrinagar was exposed to flood threat as the road blocks free flow of water in the channel.