Man Heinously Douses Wife's Face With Acid On Women's Day

A man has been arrested after he allegedly threw acid on his wife's face in a gruesome attack on International Women's Day in Idukki, Kerala, India on Tuesday, March. 8.

The accused, Rahul Raj, 29, of Pallikkathottiyil in Muttom was taken into custody by the Thodupuzha police after he allegedly doused his 25-year-old estranged wife Sona's face with acid in Thodupuzha, Idukki, Kerala, India on International Women’s Day.

The victim, who suffered more than 30 percent burns all over her body, was rushed to the Kottayam Government Medical College Hospital in critical condition, the Times Of India reported.

Sona and Raj reportedly got married eight years ago. However, they have been living separately for the past seven years after constant a series of marital disputes. Raj reportedly turned abusive after suspecting that Sona was having an extra-marital affair with a man named Abhijith. The wife would later file a sexual abuse case against him.

Recently, Sona and Raj met again and made a joint decision to live together and try to mend their relationship. However, the very next day, Sona called Raj and told him that she changed her mind and said that she has decided to live her life with Abhijith, the New Indian Express reported.

On Tuesday morning, March 8, an irate Raj stormed the home where Sona had been staying for the last couple of days.

Raj called her out and begged to speak with her. While they were talking in the courtyard, the man pulled out a bottle of acid and suddenly poured it on his wife's face, before quickly fleeing the scene. The police subsequently launched a manhunt for the suspect and took him into custody after being tracked down at a local bar.

Sona, who suffered severe burns on her face and chest after the ordeal, was taken to the district hospital in Thodupuzha. However, after her health condition deteriorated, she was later taken to the Kottayam Medical College Hospital for further treatment. Following the incident, the police collected statements from Sona's neighbors and also recovered the bottle in which Raj had brought the acid.

Following the attack, the officers registered a case against Raj under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections 307 (attempt to murder) and 326 (A) (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by use of acid).