Youths force man to drink acid after fight

In another case of sudden provocation, following an argument over buying dairy products from a shop in southeast Delhi’s Sangam Vihar, a group of youths forced acid down a shop owner’s throat. Police said that the condition of the man remained critical till Thursday and that he has been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of a hospital.

The incident came to light on Tuesday, when police got a call from a hospital reporting that a man has been forced to drink some chemical, leaving him critical. Senior police officers who reached the hospital, were told by the victim’s family members that a day before the victim, identified as Yogesh, had a fight with three men who had barged into his shop.

“As told by the victim’s family, three men, one of them known to the victim, had arrived at the shop to buy some dairy product. When Yogesh informed them about the unavailability of the item, they stepped inside and started ransacking the shop. On this Yogesh warned them and called help from the neighbourhood, after which the men fled,” said a senior police officer.

Family members said that the youths returned on Wednesday around 11 pm and picked a fight with Yogesh, after which they took out an acid bottle and forced him to drink that, leaving him critical on the spot. As Yogesh sustained severe burns in neck and face, he cried for help, after which locals gathered on the spot and he was rushed to a hospital. It was the hospital staff which then informed the police about the incident.

DCP southeast, Romil Baaniya said that initially police got a call from Majedia hospital but the victim was referred to AIIMS. “One of the accused has been identified as Golu, a resident of Sangam Vihar. A case has been registered under IPC section 326A for throwing acid and other relevant sections. The matter is being probed and accused are being traced. The liquid used by the miscreants has also been sent to forensics lab to get it tested,” he said.