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New Delhi, Oct 27 (PTI) No arrests have been made so far in connection with the alleged acid attack on a 20-year-old woman near Delhi University’s Laxmi Bai College, even as a new twist has emerged with the prime suspect’s location turning out to be away from the crime scene, police said on Monday. On Sunday morning, a second-year BCom student enrolled in DU’s Non-Collegiate Women’s Education Board allegedly came under an acid attack when she was on her way to attend an extra class. The main accused was alleged to be Jitender, who was accompanied by two more, Ishan and Arman, police said. Jitender, a resident of Mukundpur, where the victim also lives, has been detained for questioning, they said. “We have interrogated Jitender, who has claimed that he was not present in the area when the incident occurred,” police said. Prima facie, investigators also found that Jitender was not in the area when the attack supposedly took place. “So far, his location at the time of the incident does not place him at the crime scene. Multiple angles are being verified. “His call detail records (CDR) show him in the Karol Bagh area and not on the crime scene,” an officer said. Moreover, though there was no CCTV camera at the site of the alleged attack, footage from around the area also does not prove Jitender’s presence. Police have also raised suspicion about the woman getting off an e-rickshaw 200 metres away from the college. A source claimed that no acid traces were found on the wall near the alleged crime spot. Police said that Ishan and Arman, both brothers, are distant relatives of the victim. It has also emerged that the families of the victim and the brothers are locked in a property dispute. Police said that in 2018, a member of the victim’s family had thrown acid at a kin of the brothers. That matter is sub judice. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northwest) Bhisham Singh, in a statement, detailed what allegedly transpired on Sunday. The attackers threw acid at the woman from close range. She raised her hands to protect her face, sustaining burns on both hands. The three sped away after the attack. “The injured woman was rushed to Deep Chand Bandhu Hospital, where doctors provided initial treatment. The hospital authorities informed the police,” the statement said. Initial inquiries suggested that Jitender had been stalking the woman for several months. About a month ago, a heated argument reportedly took place between them, after which the harassment allegedly escalated. Meanwhile, the victim’s family said she remains critical. “I received a call from my uncle, who told me that three men had attacked my sister with acid. One of them lives near our house and has been stalking her for some time. She confronted him last month, and since then, he has been threatening her,” the woman’s brother said. “We want justice. The attackers should be put behind bars,” he added. Several local police officers, including Bhisham Singh, inspected the area for more clues. “We are leaving no stone unturned to investigate the case properly. We have formed multiple teams who are searching for the accused,” the DCP said. PTI SSJ BM VN VN
