Written by Santosh Singh | Patna | June 14, 2014 2:17 am

 

SUMMARY

The accused first threw acid on Yadav and then chopped all his fingers off with a blunt iron object used to cut hay.

 

All ten fingers of an 18-year-old youth were chopped off and his eyes partially damaged in an acid attack in a suspected case of gang-war, by members of a rival gang over a protracted land dispute in Samastipur on Thursday. Police have lodged a case against six people and arrested one of them.

The incident took place at Shanichara village under Bithan police station of Samastipur when Vikas Yadav (18) was going to an adjoining village on his motorcycle. Yadav, who was reportedly carrying an illegal firearm, was stopped by members of another gang. The police, however, did not find any firearm at the spot. The accused first threw acid on Yadav and then chopped all his fingers off with a blunt iron object used to cut hay, before leaving him at a deserted spot. A passerby took Yadav to Hasanpur healthcare centre from where he was taken to Sadar hospital Samastipur.

Dr Rajesh Kumar, said, “The fingers were completely chopped off so we only managed to prevent the bleeding. There was only partial damage to his eyes.” Yadav was referred to Patna Medical College and Hospital Friday.  The victim’s family said Yadav did not have any enmity with anyone and he was attacked by some criminals because they suspected that he was working against them.  Rosera DSP GM Kumar said, “Yadav has no case against him but we have reports of him being an active member of a criminal gang fighting another gang over land dispute for a long time”

JOY SENGUPTA

Patna, June 14: A life of compromise awaits the 20-year-old Sitamarhi youth who was brutalised by a group of anti-socials with lynch-mob mentality on Thursday night.

The horror of Vikas Kumar Yadav, presently admitted in the Patna Medical College Hospital (PMCH) emergency, is far from over but doctors today said Vikas could need artificial palms once his wounds heal.

A group of seven had chopped off all 10 fingers on Vikas’s hands and poured acid into his eyes at Banbhora village of Samastipur, 110km northeast of Patna.

V.P. Choudhary, the head of the PMCH plastic surgery department, said Vikas’s fight had just begun.

“All of Vikas’s fingers and portions of his palms are missing. The wounds will heal but will take time. He will have to use artificial palms. Good news for his eyes. We checked them today and found that he could count our fingers. However, it is early to say whether or not his eyes would heal. There is always a chance of infection, which can blind him forever. We are trying our level best to save his vision,” said Choudhary.

Vikas, a resident of Sanichaara village under the jurisdiction of Bithan police station of Samastipur, used to assist his father Shiv Sagar, in his farm equipment business.

Samastipur superintendent of police (SP) Chandrika Prasad said an FIR had been lodged against six persons and one accused had been arrested.

“Investigations are on. While Banbhora village resident Bhushan Yadav has been made the prime accused, the other accused are Uma Yadav, Sanjeet Kumar, Mukund Yadav, Garbhu Yadav, Bambam Yadav and Vikas Yadav. Vikas Yadav has been nabbed. We are searching for the severed portions of the victim’s palms. Investigations indicate the incident was the fallout of a business rivalry,” said the SP.

The police said around eight days ago, Vikas and his friends, Pappu, Anil and Lalit, had a heated argument with Bhushan.

“The altercation took place at the Jhanjhar-Sahpur Chowk under the Kusheshwar Sthan police station area in neighbouring Darbhanga district. Vikas’s father and Bhushan used to rent out JCB machines. Preliminary investigations indicate that the victim and his friends had threatened Bhushan. However, there was no fight and the matter ended there. Late on Thursday evening, Vikas was forced to halt after his motorcycle developed a glitch in Banbhora village. Bhushan spotted Vikas and took advantage of the situation. Along with his associates, Bhushan caught Vikas and assaulted him,” said the SP.

Vikas’s father, Shiv Sagar, has demanded speedy police investigation and quick justice for his son.

“The local police don’t help at all. I appeal to the SP of Samastipur and other senior police officers to immediately arrest those involved in the brutality,” he said.