East Champaran: A young woman suffered severe burns after an acid attack in Bihar’s East Champaran district, allegedly carried out by a distant relative who had been harassing her over a one-sided romantic interest. The attack also left the woman’s mother injured, as she was sleeping beside her at the time of the assault.
According to police, the incident took place late at night in a village under the Patahi police station area. The accused, identified as Priyanshu Kumar, allegedly entered the house, switched off the lights and threw acid on the woman’s face before fleeing. Her screams alerted family members, who rushed her to a private hospital, where she is undergoing treatment.
Doctors treating the victim informed the Chhauni police station, prompting an immediate response. Officers recorded the woman’s statement at the hospital, where she said the accused had been pressuring her for a relationship and sending repeated messages to her phone. She also referred to a long-standing family dispute, noting that the accused was related through her uncle’s extended family and visited the house frequently.
Police later arrested Kumar after conducting raids in the area and said he is being interrogated. Investigators are also questioning other family members as part of the inquiry. The attack has deepened tensions between the two families and triggered fear across the village.
The incident has once again raised troubling questions about women’s safety in Bihar, particularly within their own homes. Local residents said the assault has left the community shaken, underscoring the continuing challenge of preventing gender-based violence and ensuring accountability in such cases.
