Acid thrown at schoolgirl in Gopalganj, two arrested

PATNA: Days after two young women were raped and set on fire in separate incidents in the state, a 16-year-old girl student had acid thrown at her by two youths at a village under Baikunthpur police station in Gopalganj district late on Wednesday evening.
The two accused have been arrested and produced before a court which remanded them in custody for 14 days, police said, adding a case under protection of children from sexual offences (POCSO) Act has also been slapped against the accused.The acid attack victim was shifted to the Patna Medical College and Hospital on Thursday.
Police said the two accused, who are victim’s neighbours, had an altercation with the girl’s mother two days before the attack over some dispute. The girl’s mother alleged that the two accused sexually harassed her minor daughter while going to school.
“When I complained to the parents of the youths, they didn’t pay any heed. Instead they asked me to keep my daughter indoor and not allow her to go outside,” the hapless mother told the police. Gopalganj SP Manoj Kumar Tiwari said on Thursday that the victim’s mother has lodged a complaint against the two accused—Sonu Kumar and Raja—both residents of Usari village in Gopalganj district. “The two named accused were arrested late in the night on Wednesday. They were produced in the court, which remanded them to judicial custody for 14 days,” he said.
The accused were booked under Section 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt) and 307 (attempt to murder) of IPC and Section 7/12 of the protection of children from sexual offences (POCSO) Act. The accused face punishment of up to life imprisonment.
Amitesh, the SHO of Baikunthpur police station, said the victim was referred to the PMCH on Thursday morning by the local health centre. “Her condition is stated to be out of danger,” he said.
The investigating officer recorded the victim’s statement before she was referred to the PMCH for treatment.
“Legal formalities are being completed to provide financial assistance to the acid attack victim,” the SP said.
“The SHO has been directed to trace the shop from where the accused had purchased acid, which was used in the crime. Besides, I have asked the investigating officer to file chargesheet in the POSCO court at the earliest,” Tiwari added.
Earlier, half-burned bodies of two young women were recovered from Samastipur and Buxar districts. The victims were killed and set on fire allegedly after being raped, sources said.