Hyderabad: A 23-year-old staff nurse working at Apollo Hospital in Banjara Hills was attacked with acid by a man who had been pestering her for a relationship.
According to police, Pramod, a neighbour of the victim at her native place in Kerala, had arrived in the city on Thursday morning and met her. He was carrying acid in a water bottle.
The victim was identified as Jisha Shaji, 23. The man, suspected to be her ex-lover, waited for her shift to end and met her near the exit of the hospital around 5:30 pm and started talking to her, Banjara Hills police inspector K. Srinivas said.
“The girl shifted to Hyderabad about two years ago and stays in a hostel. They were in a relationship for about a year before she decided to end the affair,: the inspector said. Pramod has been following her ever since, asking her to resume the relationship,” the inspector said.
With Ms Shaji turning him down each time, Pramod came prepared to attack her, the inspector said. He struck up a conversation with her outside the hospital. After a heated argument, when Ms Shaji turned to walk away, he opened the bottle and threw the acid on her.
Ms Shaji suffered 10 per cent burns, the official said, adding that her condition is stable.
The Banjara Hills police rushed to the spot and started an investigation after booking a case under Section 326 A (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by use of acid) of IPC. Ms Shaji's statement was yet to be recorded.
“She is undergoing treatment for burns and is kept under trauma care section,” said a duty doctors at Apollo Hospital.
Pramod fled the scene after the attack and efforts to nab him are on by the Banjara Hills police, who have deployed search parties for the purpose.
