KOLKATA: In a shocking incident, a homemaker-cum-Class X examinee was attacked with acid by her husband in front of the examination centre in West Bengal’s Birbhum district on Tuesday as he was against his wife’s decision to pursue education after marriage.
The minor girl, who dreamed of having higher education, is now admitted to a state-run hospital with severe burn injuries on the face and upper portion of her body.
The accused has been arrested.
The teenage girl got married during the pandemic-induced lockdown but continued her preparation for the exam.
Sensing resistance from her husband, she, now the mother of an infant, went to her parents’ house and from there she has been appearing in this year’s Madhyamik examination.
In a statement given to police, she said: “From the beginning, my husband was against my decision to appear in the Madhyamik exams. I was preparing for the exams from my father’s house. On Tuesday morning, my husband called me and wanted to know where my exam centre was. I reached the centre and was revising my text book with other friends. Suddenly he appeared and asked me not to enter the exam centre. I told him clearly I would appear in the last exam at any cost. Suddenly, he took out a bottle from his pocket and sprinkled something on my face and body. I slumped to the ground and became senseless.”
The victim’s sister said that there was a dispute between the girl and her husband over the issue of pursuing education after marriage.
A member of the Council of Secondary Education in Birbhum said a team was immediately sent to meet the girl.
“We tried our best. We wanted the girl to appear in the last exam. We took preparations to start the exam late so that she could appear. But doctors stated her condition to be serious,’’ said one of the team members.