Special team to probe Bandra acid attack case

MUMBAI: The city crime branch formed a special investigation team (SIT) on Friday to probe the acid attack case at Bandra Terminus in May which led to the death of the victim, Preeti Rathi, a Delhi resident. Sources said that the SIT would be headed by assistant commissioner of police Praful Bhosle who currently heads the anti-robbery squad.
The crime branch formed the SIT following the Bombay HC's directive on Thursday, which ordered that a senior officer of the rank of assistant commissioner of police, probe the matter.The court had pulled up the Railway Police for their failure to produce a breakthrough in the case. It observed that the Railway Police was ill-equipped to trace Rathi's assailant.
"The railway administration is not equipped to meet the challenges. Investigation of such crimes requires specialized training," said a division bench of Justice Naresh Patil and Justice Revati Dere. The court was hearing a petition filed by Preeti's father Amar Rathi who had sought that the probe be transferred to the CBI. The petition was filed two months after Preeti succumbed to her injuries.
Joint commissioner of police (crime) Himanshu Roy said, "The team is studying the case at present; field work will begin on Monday."
On May 2, Preeti Rathi alighted from Garib Rath Express at Bandra Terminus with her father, aunt and uncle. Moments later, a man flung acid at her, resulting in severe burn injuries. Rathi was taken to Masina Hospital following the incident.Her right eye was damaged beyond repair. Her food pipe and windpipes were damages as well. She developed fistula that infected her lungs and gave way to pneumonitis.
On May 18, she was shifted to Bombay Hospital where she died on June 1, following septicaemia and multi-organ failure.
Rathi was in Mumbai to join the Army Medical College in Colaba as a nurse.