An undated photograph of the victim Nagesh Konda.
Credit: Special arrangement
Bengaluru: A 31-year-old man sustained injuries to his left eye and minor burns on his face and lips after being attacked by an assailant with what the police believe was a bathroom cleaner containing acid in western Bengaluru on Sunday.
The victim, Nagesh Konda, a fitter from Kamakshipalya, was attacked around 2 pm while walking near Sumanahalli. He felt a burning sensation and immediately informed a friend, who called his manager.
Konda was then admitted to Victoria Hospital. “His condition is stable, but he cannot open his left eye due to the injury,” a senior police officer reported.
Hospital sources indicated that Konda suffered a corneal injury, which is not deep. "Some surgeries may be needed to preserve his vision," a source stated.
The Kamakshipalya police have registered a case and launched an investigation to trace the suspect.
The FIR stated that Konda met a woman named Lakshmi two years ago while working in Whitefield, and they have remained in contact since.
"We spoke daily on the phone," Konda told the police. "On the day of the attack, around 1 pm, I had a few drinks at a bar and then had lunch. As I was walking home around 2 pm, an unknown man approached me, threw some liquid from a bottle at me, and fled."
Police have ruled out claims that the liquid was industrial-grade acid. "It’s a cleaner used for tiles in washrooms," an officer explained. "If it were industrial-grade acid, the plastic bottle would have melted immediately."