NEW DELHI: A 20-year-old woman from Mukundpur sustained acid burn injuries after being attacked near Laxmibai College in north Delhi’s Ashok Vihar on Sunday morning.
Police said a call regarding the incident was received from Deep Chand Bandhu Hospital, where the victim was admitted with injuries to both her hands. During the inquiry, she told police that she is a second-year student and had gone to the college for an extra class when she was assaulted.
According to her statement, three men, identified as Jitender, Ishan and Arman, all residents of Mukundpur, approached her on a motorcycle. Ishan allegedly handed the bottle to Arman, who threw acid on her. The woman managed to shield her face but suffered burns on her hands. The accused fled the spot soon after, she added.
“She was intercepted by the accused and two of his associates on a motorcycle. The main accused has been identified as Jitender, a resident of Mukundpur, where the victim also resides,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northwest) Bhisham Singh said in a statement.
According to police, initial inquiries revealed that Jitender had been stalking the woman for several months. About a month ago, the two allegedly had a heated argument, after which the harassment intensified. Following the incident, a crime team and forensic experts visited the scene and collected evidence. A case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including those related to acid attacks, has been registered.
“Efforts are underway to trace and arrest the accused. CCTV footage from the area is being examined for further investigation,” the officer said.
The Students' Federation of India (SFI), Delhi University, condemned the attack, terming it a "reflection of systemic negligence and indifference" by authorities responsible for ensuring women's safety in the national capital.
In an official statement, the SFI said the "horrific" incident exposed the "absolute failure of the government, Delhi Police and the administrative establishment" to provide even basic security for women, especially in and around educational institutions.
"It is alarming that such an act could be carried out in broad daylight, right outside a women's college, in a city that has repeatedly witnessed similar acts of violence," the students' group said.
The SFI cited earlier incidents, including a case where a bottle of acid was found near Miranda House, another women's institution, to highlight how "the threat of such violence has remained constant and unaddressed."
Calling the attack a result of "systemic failure", the organisation said that "no political entity has shown genuine commitment towards women's safety beyond tokenistic gestures and empty slogans."
The student group also criticised the previous Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) leadership, accusing it of focusing on "theatrics and partisan politics" instead of working for security and gender justice on campus.
SFI DU demanded immediate and stringent action against those involved in the attack and accountability from the authorities responsible for the safety of students.
"The continuous failure to ensure women's safety in Delhi is not just incompetence, it must be called out for what it is, complicity," the statement said.
(With inputs from PTI)