In the aftermath of the acid attack on a teenager and her mother by a youth near Pettai here on Wednesday, the police conducted nocturnal raids on shops selling chemicals and acid across the city. Twelve unauthorised outlets were sealed.
K.Sundar, a 26-year-old youth who was upset over his father’s second marriage, went over to the residence of Chellakutti, at Thiruppanikarisalkulam near Pettai, who is said to have solemnised the marriage.
In the course of an argument with Chellakutti’s wife Chidambaram, Sundar hurled acid on the woman and her 19-year-old daughter Seetha. Sundar was later arrested.
Police sources said the five-hour-long raid that commenced at 9 p.m. on Wednesday led to the seizure of 990 litres of sulphuric acid, 137 litres of nitric acid and 33 litres of hydrochloric acid, for which the shopkeepers could not produce proper receipts.
Speaking to reporters here on Thursday, Tirunelveli Commissioner of Police Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal said the police had sealed 12 shops and registered cases against the shop owners for selling acid and chemical substances and storing them in excess of the permissible limits.
“ The owner of a shop, Suresh of Thimmarajapuram, who sold acid to Sundar, has been arrested,” Mr.Aggarwal added.
Meanwhile, Sundar was produced in a Tirunelveli court, and remanded in custody.
