In a horrifying incident that has reignited concerns over women's safety in the national capital, a 20-year-old Delhi University student suffered acid burns after being targeted by her alleged stalker near Lakshmibai College in northwest Delhi's Ashok Vihar area on Sunday morning. The attack, which occurred in broad daylight, involved the perpetrator throwing acid at the victim before fleeing the scene with his accomplices.
According to Delhi Police officials, the accused has been identified as Jitender, who is described as the victim's stalker. The woman, a resident of Mukundpur in north Delhi, was immediately rushed to Deep Chand Bandhu Hospital for emergency treatment following the assault. Hospital authorities promptly alerted the police after admitting her, leading to the registration of a formal complaint.
The victim, who is enrolled as a second-year non-collegiate student at Delhi University, provided a detailed account to the investigators. She stated that she had visited Lakshmibai College around 10 a.m. to attend an extra class when the attack unfolded. As she walked toward the college premises, Jitender arrived on a motorcycle accompanied by two associates, identified as Ishan and Arman.
In a coordinated assault, Ishan reportedly handed a bottle containing the corrosive substance to Arman, who then hurled the acid directly at the student. Quick-thinking on her part allowed her to shield her face with her hands, preventing potentially disfiguring injuries to her facial area. However, she sustained severe burns on both hands as a result. Medical sources at the hospital confirmed that while the burns are serious, the victim is currently out of danger and responding well to treatment. She remains under observation in the burns ward, with doctors monitoring her condition closely.
The Delhi Police have swung into action, launching a comprehensive investigation to apprehend the three accused individuals—Jitender, Ishan, and Arman—who remain at large. A First Information Report (FIR) has been lodged under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the new criminal code that replaced the Indian Penal Code.
Sections likely invoked include those pertaining to voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means, as well as provisions related to acid attacks, which carry stringent penalties under Indian law. Teams from the local Ashok Vihar police station, along with crime branch units, are reviewing CCTV footage from the area, questioning witnesses, and tracing the motorcycle used in the escape. Raids are underway at possible hideouts of the suspects, and efforts are being made to establish the motive, which preliminary probes suggest stems from the victim's repeated rejection of Jitender's advances.
The brazen nature of the attack—executed in a busy urban locality during morning hours—has sent shockwaves through Delhi, amplifying longstanding fears about women's security in the city. Acid attacks, though regulated with over-the-counter sales of corrosive substances banned since 2013, continue to plague India, with Delhi reporting several such cases in recent years despite awareness campaigns and legal reforms.
Adding a political dimension to the outrage, the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), the student wing of the Congress party, issued a strong condemnation of the incident. NSUI national president Varun Choudhary lambasted the authorities, stating, “An acid attack on a DU student in broad daylight shows complete lawlessness in Delhi. Both the Delhi Police and the BJP government are sleeping. If women’s safety were truly a priority, such horrific incidents wouldn’t keep happening.”
The statement highlighted what the organisation perceives as a deteriorating law and order situation under the current administration, urging immediate accountability and enhanced protective measures for female students.
The episode has sparked widespread calls from activists, student bodies, and citizens for bolstered policing in educational hubs, stricter enforcement of acid sale regulations, and expedited justice in crimes against women. Women's rights groups have renewed demands for mandatory self-defence training in colleges, installation of more surveillance cameras, and harsher punishments, including chemical castration for convicted acid attackers—a proposal debated in Parliament in the past.
As the investigation progresses, the incident serves as a grim reminder of the vulnerabilities faced by women in public spaces, prompting soul-searching among policymakers on how to make Delhi truly safe for its residents. Authorities have assured that the culprits will be brought to justice swiftly, but for the young victim and her family, the road to physical and emotional recovery has just begun.
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