The Kharavel Nagar police on Thursday arrested a 72-year-old man for attempting to murder a young woman by throwing acid on her face in an act of revenge stemming from unrequited love.
The accused has been identified as Basanta Aswini Choudhury (72), a resident of the Unit-3 area in Bhubaneswar.
According to police sources, the victim works as a caretaker at a local shelter home in Unit-3, Kharavel Nagar, where she has been living with her visually impaired father for the past five years. The accused, who was also residing in the same shelter home, had developed a one-sided obsession with the young woman.
The horrifying incident occurred late on the night of August 30. Driven by anger upon learning that the woman’s marriage had recently been fixed elsewhere, Choudhury scaled a wall to enter her room while she was asleep.
Police revealed that the accused initially choked her neck and tried to force a toxic chemical down her throat to murder her. When the victim fought back courageously, Choudhury splashed acid onto her face, causing severe burn injuries aimed at permanently disfiguring her.
Hearing her cries for help, the victim’s father and other residents rushed to the scene. She was immediately rescued and admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at SUM Hospital for emergency treatment.
Following the attack, Choudhury attempted to take his own life by drinking the same chemical and slitting the veins on his hands and neck. He was rushed to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack in critical condition.
Upon his discharge from the hospital after recovery, the Kharavel Nagar police brought him in for interrogation. During questioning, Choudhury confessed to the crime, admitting that revenge for her upcoming marriage was the primary motive behind the attack. He has now been formally arrested and produced before the court.
