Doctors say she has lost vision in both eyes. Her family has started raising funds through donations for her treatment. They have opened a bank account and requested donors to deposit even meagre amounts to help her.

KMCH burns ward chief Dr V Jayaraman said, “A team of doctors performed the surgery on her eyelids on Tuesday. We will take the skin from her thighs to reconstruct the burnt skin of her face.”

Vinodhini was admitted to KMCH with 38% burns all over her body. “We have the facilities to reconstruct and do cosmetic surgery for her face and other body parts. We will perform the surgeries in a phased manner,” Dr Jayaraman added.

Vinodhini’s father V Jayabalan, a security guard at a private school in Karaikudi, requested the public to help him raise funds for her treatment. Jayabalan has opened an account with Indian Bank branch in Kilpauk.

A police officer said Suresh attacked Vinodhini on November 14 when she was walking with a friend in Karaikal at 10.30pm.

The officer said he was obsessed with her. During interrogation, Suresh told police he had decided to take revenge on her because she had lodged a complaint against him. “Her family complained to police because he had been stalking her and had threatened her several times after she turned him down,” the officer said.

The Karaikal police arrested Suresh, 29, and charged him with attempted murder under Section 307 of the Indian Penal Code.