A woman and her two unidentified accomplices threw acid at a man’s face on Monday during his mehdni ceremony. The victim, Muhammad Akhtar, was taken to a hospital, where doctors said he was in a critical condition.
Rajana police said the woman had had a relationship with the bridegroom, but he had refused to marry her. A case was registered against the woman, nominated in the FIR, and her two unidentified accomplices on the complaint of the victim’s father under Sections 336 and 324 (attempt to murder and intentions to hurt) of the Pakistan Penal Code. No one has been arrested so far.
Complainant Muhammad Anwar, a resident of Chak 284-GB, told police that he had organised a mehndi ceremony in connection to the wedding of his two sons, including the victim.
He said he was dealing with the caterers when he heard some commotion from inside the tents. He said he heard his son Akhtar shouting for help crying “save me save me.”
He said when he rushed inside the tent, he saw that guests had surrounded his son.
He said the attacker, who he identified as Farzana Bibi, was holding a bottle of acid that she had emptied at his son.
He said she and two other men fled as the family and guests got busy in taking Akhtar to a hospital. Akhtar was taken to a nearby hospital, from where he was sent to Allied Hospital.
Doctors treating the injured said that the left side of his face, his shoulder and chest had been burned. They said he had 45 per cent burns.
Anwar told police that Farzana Bibi was a mother of six and had been divorced twice. He said she had been forcing his son to marry her. He said when his son refused to marry her, she threatened to kill him. He said he had not taken her seriously and stopped his son from meeting her.
Rajana Station House Officer Jamshed Chishti said police were looking for the woman and her accomplices.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 3rd, 2013.