Acid attacker held

A 25-year-old man was arrested by the Railway police on Wednesday on the charge of throwing acid at a woman, who was his former tenant.

Nasir Shaikh alias Pintu allegedly attacked the 22-year-old woman outside the Goregaon station on Tuesday evening when she was punching her railway ticket coupon while speaking on the phone.

Pintu was nabbed near the Borivali railway station and produced before a court on Wednesday morning. “The court sent him to police remand till February 7. We have booked him under Section 307 [attempt to murder] of the Indian Penal Code,” Inspector-in-charge of the Borivali police station L. G. Dombre said.

The victim was attacked twice earlier — first in November last and again in December. “Both times her face was targeted with a small blade. We are yet to ascertain if the same person is responsible for all the attacks. Also, it is not confirmed whether he executed the acid attack himself or had hired someone,” Mr. Dombre said.

The woman, working in an IT company at Goregaon, was on her way back home.

“The injuries are not life threatening. She has received 10-15 per cent burns on her face, neck and forearms,” the police said.