New Delhi: Investigation into the acid attack on a Delhi University student took a dark turn on Monday after police indicated the incident may have been manufactured to settle a score.
The wife of the main accused, the alleged stalker, had filed a rape case against the 20-year-old student’s father days before the alleged acid attack, police said.
Police sources told ThePrint they did not find any trace of acid in and around the Ashok Vihar area where the alleged attack was reported. Asked about injuries to the student in the acid attack, a senior police officer said on the condition of anonymity, “That is currently under investigation.”
Sources said they haven’t been able to establish the presence of the three accused at the site of the alleged acid attack either.
The acid attack was reported on Sunday, after the student of DU’s Non Collegiate Women’s Education Board was hospitalised for burn injuries. According to her complaint, she was on her way to Laxmi Bai College near DU’s North Campus when three men on a bike threw acid on her. She said one of the accused was a married man who had been stalking her for over a year.
No arrests have been made in the acid attack case so far.
“The allegations of stalking are being looked into. So far, nothing of the sort has been found,” the senior officer said.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northwest) Bhisham Singh confirmed there were no previous complaints or PCR calls on stalking by the DU student or her family.
Delhi Police on Monday said that a rape complaint by the wife of the alleged stalker was registered three to four days ago. “Probe in the rape case is underway,” the DCP said.
“The complainant, wife of one of the accused, used to work in the factory of the student’s father. The wife has accused him of sexually assaulting her for the last 3-4 years and upon investigation, an FIR was lodged on the basis of her complaint,” the senior police officer quoted above said.
He added, “So far, the probe has revealed that the acid attack incident and subsequent complaint against the three men was lodged to settle scores with them.”
Multiple calls made to DU student’s family members went unanswered till Monday afternoon.
Earlier in the day, before news of the rape complaint emerged, the student’s brother told ThePrint things came to a head after the 20-year-old told the accused’s wife about her husband stalking her.
“This man had been harassing my sister, and when she complained about this to his wife, the wife blamed her in return. This happened a month ago. He and his associates then came and attacked her with acid on Sunday,” the brother had said.
“It all happened very quickly when she was on her way to college. She managed to cover her face with her bag. She is in a lot of pain,” he added.
(Edited by Prerna Madan)
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