Man throws acid on 8 neighbours who roughed up wife

The victims, who stayed in the third floor of an apartment at Muniayppa Nagar, are from Ariyalur district and work as daily wage labourers in Koyambedu vegetable market complex, while the accused M Kanniyappan (31), a silversmith works at a shop in Kosapet, and lives on the second floor with his wife Ranjani and her brother Bhaskar.

On Sunday, the labourers returned from work and were speaking to each on the terrace. As they were allegedly speaking loudly, Kanniyappan and Bhaskar, who were drunk, went to the terrace and abused them. A quarrel erupted between them and the labourers allegedly attacked the duo with wooden logs. Ranjani, went to the terrace on hearing the noise, tried to intervene and also received a few blows.

Infuriated over his wife being beaten up, Kanniyappan, who had stored the sulphuric acid meant for purification purpose in smithy in a bottle, took it to the terrace and poured it on the labourers.

The injured, identified as Alagumuthu (38), Karuppusamy (32), Vanjinathan (18), Velmurugan (23), Veeraswamy (23), Ashok (19), Velmurugan (25) another Velmurugan, were rushed to Government Kilpauk Government Hospital for treatment. “Karuppasamy is critical as his eyes were burnt in the attack,” police said.

On information, Koyambedu police registered a case and arrested Kanniyappan. He was remanded in judicial custody. Bhaskar who suffered injuries on his head in the attack has also been admitted at KMC. Further inquiry is on.

Police said that the home belongs to Bhaskar and the family stayed in the apartment for seven years. At least 30 families live in the three story apartment complex.