Two injured in acid attack by "mentally challenged" man

Nagpur, Feb 13 (PTI)A 22-year-old man on Thursday allegedly threw acid on a team of doctors and students from a

city-based medical college, injuring two of them, police said. The attacker, Nilesh Kanhere, is "mentally challenged"

and has been arrested, they said. The incident took place in Saoner town in Nagpur

district where a team from Government Medical College & Hospital (GMCH)had gone for a health survey.

The five-member team comprised three GMCH doctors, including a female lecturer and they were being assisted by

local health workers, they said. In a press release, the Nagpur rural police said the

team had gone to conduct the survey in Saoner for the National Aids Control Organisation (NACO).

At around 12.10pm, the GMCH team along with two local workers were in the Pahelepar area when the man threw acid in

the direction of the female doctor and her colleagues, it said.

While the female doctor escaped unhurt, a few drops of the acid fell on a student and another woman standing nearby,

the release said. Both suffered minor injuries and were taken to the

government hospital in Nagpur, where they were discharged after first aid, the police said.

The accused was arrested and booked under IPC sections 307 (attempt to murder) and 326-B (punishment for attempted

acid attacks), they said. What caused the mentally challenged man to throw acid

was not yet known, the police added.