Our prayers answered, say kin of acid attack victim

BENGALURU: Family members of acid attack victim Aasha (name changed) are relieved that accused Nagesh was arrested by Kamakshipalya police at Tiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu. “But we will be satisfied only when he is punished,” said her uncle Sundaresh.“As Aasha was getting worried that he could attack her again, we had told her last week that he had been arrested. We have not informed her about the latest developments,” he said.

“We had almost lost hope of his arrest. I had gone to the police station two days ago and asked them to give us a firm answer whether he would be arrested. We were planning to meet Police Commissioner Kamal Pant next Tuesday. We were in constant touch with Women’s Commission Chairperson Pramila Naidu, who visited Aasha two days ago and assured us that the accused would be arrested,” he said.

“We had prayed before our family deities, Madanathamma of Mandya and Veerabhadreshwara of Nagamangala, four days ago. Aasha’s parents, her newly wedded sister and the entire family are relieved with his arrest,” he said. “Nagesh had told his brother two days before the attack that he would be on news TV channels soon, and the family should have alerted us.

The police should arrest his family members and also the person who gave him the acid. We will be at peace when all of them are convicted,” he said. Aasha, who is showing signs of recovery, has been moved from the ICU to a special ward at St John’s Hospital. She is being given porridge, milk and eggs.Pramila said, “I have congratulated the team of DCP Sanjeev Patil for arresting the accused.”