Youth throws acid-like liquid at woman, her friend in city; Cops nab him from K’taka

Pune: The Bund Garden police on Wednesday night arrested a 20-year-old youth near Belagavi in Karnataka after a girl (21) lodged a complaint stating that he allegedly threw an acid-like substance at her and her male friend on Tadiwala Road around 1.55 am on the same day.

The suspect was brought to Pune on Thursday. The complainant suffered severe burns on her back and the nape of her neck. Her male friend suffered burns to his legs. They have been admitted to the Sassoon General Hospital.

Senior inspector Santosh Pandhare of Bund Garden police told TOI, “We have arrested Shriram Madhu Sarunwar (20), a native of Betul in Madhya Pradesh. After throwing the acid-like liquid on the two victims, Sarunwar boarded the first train he could find at Pune railway station. He was later nabbed from Karnataka,” Pandhare said.

According to the police, the complainant worked as a waitress in the same pub where the suspect was a cook. The victim also hailed from Betul, and both of them had known each other since childhood. After moving to Pune, they started living together and eventually fell in love. They had also promised to marry each other, the police said.

“Sarunwar had gifted her expensive cellphones and a scooter from his savings. About two months ago, the suspect went to his village. He returned to Pune about 15 to 20 days ago and found that the girl had started living with her male friend, the same person who has been injured in the acid-like substance attack. He also works at the same pub,” Pandhare said.

“The suspect demanded that the complainant return the cellphones and the scooter,” the officer said, adding that she refused to return any of those items. “Sarunwar was already upset over the relationship, and her denial of not returning anything further fuelled his anger,” Pandhare said.

“He allegedly took boiling oil and some powder in a small container from the pub’s kitchen. When the pub closed for the day, he followed the complainant and her friend from Raja Bahadur Mill Road to Tadiwala Road. He then threw the boiling oil and the power on them from behind,” he said.

“The complainant initially thought it was acid. We have seized the small container and will send it for a forensic examination. Sarunwar told us that it was hot oil and some powder,” Pandhare added.