Harassment on Holi leads to acid attack, 13 injured in Jharkhand
At least 13 people, including a woman, sustained burn injuries in an acid attack during a clash between two groups after a minor girl was allegedly harassed in Jharkhand’s Ramgarh district on Holi, police said on Friday.
At least 13 people, including a woman, sustained burn injuries in an acid attack during a clash between two groups after a minor girl was allegedly harassed in Jharkhand’s Ramgarh district on Holi, police said on Friday.
The incident occurred in Rajwartola, around 60 km from the state capital, on Thursday when a 17-year old girl of a Rajwar family was bathing at a hand-pump after Holi festivities at around 3pm. Two men from Sahutola, a nearby locality, allegedly passed lewd remarks on the girl.
The girl’s cousins, who were standing there, nabbed the men triggering a brawl between them. Soon, others from both localities joined the melee and a clash between the two groups ensued.
“As the clash turned serious, an unidentified person from the mob threw battery acid (battery charging acid) on the fighting crowd leaving 13 people from both the sides, including a woman, injured. All the injured have received burn injuries on their back. The acid poured down on their back piercing the shirts they were wearing,” deputy superintendent of police (headquarters) VK Choudhary said.
All the injured have been referred to Ranchi’s Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), where they are recuperating.
The injured have been identified as Chatku Sahu, Tinku Rajwar, Laxam Rajwar, Manish Rajwar, Sarju Sahu, Jhalu Sahu, Karam Rajwar, Manu Sahu, Deepak Sahu, Kaliya Sahu, Ranjit Rajwar, Rajmohan Rajwar and Nimmi Devi.
“We have sent a police official to RIMS to record the statements of the victims after which a formal FIR will be lodged. We are investigating who threw the acid as both the sides have sustained injuries,” Radhe Shyam Ram, police inspector at Gola police station, said.