Ahilyanagar: Acid was thrown at a 13-year-old girl by an unidentified assailant in Maharashtra‘s Ahilyanagar district on Tuesday, March 17. The girl suffered from severe facial burn injuries and is undergoing treatment.
The incident took place in the Vadgaon Pan village under the Sangamner municipal council.
The survivor, a Class 6 student, was returning home on a bicycle from school at around noon when she was attacked. The accused threw an acidic substance on her while she was on a kuccha road, passing through the farm.
The assailant fled the scene immediately after throwing acid.
The girl’s parents and other residents intervened when they heard her shouts and immediately rushed her to Pravaranagar Hospital in Loni, where she is receiving treatment.
The police have registered a first information report under Sections 124 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by use of acid) and 126 (wrongful restraint) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
The accused remains at large while police have formed special teams in an effort to arrest him. Officials have reviewed CCTV footage from around the village to identify the perpetrator. The motive of the acid attack is unclear, police told the media. “We are trying to arrest the person behind the crime at the earliest.”
Local students stage a protest
Following the attack, on Wednesday, March 18, large groups of female students staged a protest, blocking the road in the village, as they expressed anger over the attack.
According to local media, they took to the streets demanding action and safety for all students, with some claiming that they are now afraid to go to school. Many students said they feel unsafe, fearing they might be the next victim. The students urged the government to implement concrete measures to ensure safety for school-going girls.
The attack drew widespread outrage across the locality, as residents demanded strict action against the accused.
