Acid attack leaves youth critical in Odisha’s Bhadrak, probe begins

An acid attack took place in Ramachandrapur village under Naikanidihi police station limits in Odisha’s Bhadrak district late last night, critically injuring a villager. The victim has been identified as Jagabandhu Palei.

Sources reported that around 3 am last night unidentified assailants found Palei sleeping and threw acid on him through an open window before fleeing the spot. Hearing his screams, the victim’s family rushed him to the Basudevpur Community Health Center in a critical condition. He was later shifted to Kalinga Hospital in Bhubaneswar after his condition deteriorated, added sources.

Allegations Brought by Injured Person’s Family:

Family members stated that Palei was involved in the tent business and dealt with renting and construction of wedding and puja mandaps. They also added that there were similar instances in the past where unknown miscreants attempted to set fire to his tent materials.

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Palei’s family, however, added that those issues were resolved amicably and there existed no business rivalry. Similarly, they also dismissed claims of disputes with any neighbours and stated that it was unlikely that anyone in the neighbourhood would resort to such an act.

Severity of attack:

Meanwhile, the acid attack was so severe that it burnt through the victim’s flesh in several parts of his body, including his face. Despite being rushed for advanced treatment, his condition remained critical, as of the last reports.

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Further, the Naikanidihi police and Bhadrak Sadar SDPO arrived at the scene and initiated an investigation.