ENS

Bangalore, Oct 22: An Indian Air Force trainee of Jalahalli threw acid on a 22-year-old LLM student Karthika, a native of Thiruvanantapuram, apparently to avenge being spurned by her.

Karthika was proceeding towards college after attending mass in a church under the Halasur police station limits on Tuesday morning.

She has suffered minor injuries (20 per cent burns) on the left part of her face and hands and is undergoing treatment at a private hospital on Bannerghatta Road.

Rakesh, a trainee officer of IAF's cyber department, is from Ernakulam and is absconding.

Karthika (22), an LLM student in Bishop Cotton's College, Bangalore, became friends with Rakesh about six months ago. Karthika had rejected his proposal of marriage as her parents were opposed to it. Despite attempts at convincing Karthika for the past two months and even meeting her parents, Rakesh's offer remained rejected.

On Tuesday, he waited near Trinity Church as she was attending the prayer at the church at 7.15 am. Karthika was with her friends, Harisha and Catherine, and they had to take an exam. Rakesh accosted her when she came out of the church and asked her to marry him. Finally he threw acid on her as her friends were at a distance.

She shielded her face with her hands, so she has suffered major injuries on her hand and relatively minor injuries on her face.

Rakesh fled the scene on his bike. After ensuring first aid at the CSI Hospital Karthika was shifted to Sagar Apollo Hospital on Bannerghatta road, police said. The hostel warden Vineetha Sudarshan, reportedly had asked Karthika's parents to lodge a complaint with the police as Rakesh used to call the hostel and harass Karthika. Police said, her parents had refrained from doing so as they feared for her future. Police have recovered Rakesh's mobile SIM card from the spot. Halasur police are investigating.