UP SHOCKER: Spurned lover throws acid at bride-to-be; Shot by cops, arrested
Suman Yadav and Anil Verma all knew each other and the attack was triggered by her getting engaged to another man about three months ago, which Verma took as a snub against him.
Uttar Pradesh Crime News: In a shocking incident, a man orchestrated an acid attack on his 23-year-old ex-girlfriend in Dharaula village of Maharajganj district of Uttar Pradesh. The suspect later suffered a bullet wound during an encounter with local police as he tried to flee. However, the escape attempt was foiled and the suspect, identified as Anil Verma, was arrested, police said.
A senior officer said Verma, along with his aide, Ram Bachan, carried out the attack on the former ex-girlfriend and was later arrested after an encounter with police.
“The main accused, Anil Verma, suffered a gunshot wound while the other accused, Ram Bachan, was injured when he tried to flee,” Additional Superintendent of Police of Maharajganj Atish Kumar Singh told news agency PTI, adding that the encounter took place between 1 a.m. and 1:30 a.m. late Friday evening.
He said Verma, a former jilted lover of the victim, had planned the attack four to five days ago.
According to the ASP, the victim, Suman Yadav, and Verma were known to both and the attack was triggered by her getting engaged to another man about three months ago, which Verma took as a slight against him.
Police have recovered the scooter used in the attack with traces of acid.
On Saturday, Maharajganj police in a statement revealed more details that Yadav was in a relationship with Verma, a drug dealer, for the past few years.
Suman Yadav’s wedding was scheduled for December 11, 2023, but Anil Verma did not want her to marry another man.
On Thursday evening, she was returning home after taking her mother to Verma’s medicine shop in Maharajganj when Verma had an assistant throw acid at the bride-to-be, police said.
Verma, they said, had convinced Ram Bachan, a worker at his shop, to throw acid at Yadav for Rs 15,000. He procured acid from his car battery and gave it to Bachan along with a pair of surgical gloves.
Verma, as usual, dropped Yadav and her mother from his car about 50 meters away from the incident site. Bachan had posted himself at the spot around 6 p.m.
At 6.47 pm, Verma called Bachan to do his bit.
Bachan threw the acid at Suman, who suffered burns on the face, while her mother also received burns on her hands.
As part of the plan, Verma returned to the spot after five minutes and took an injured Yadav in his car to a private hospital in Gorakhpur. He also advised her and her family members not to inform the police.
Verma and Bachan were arrested by police on the basis of CCTV, the statement said.
On Friday, Maharajganj Police Superintendent Kaustubh said 10 police teams had been deployed to arrest the perpetrators.
Suman Yadav suffered five to seven percent burns on her face and is currently undergoing treatment at the BRD Medical College in Gorakhpur, police said.
“The woman’s condition is improving. She has about five to seven percent burns,” the SP had said earlier.
(With PTI inputs)