A 45-year-old woman is struggling to regain her eyesight after a man allegedly inserted a stick into her eyes late on Tuesday evening.
The incident was reported from Dakla English village in Katihar district of Bihar.
A police team led by Manihari sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Manoj Kumar swung into action and arrested the accused on Wednesday afternoon.
“We have arrested the accused Md Shamim and police are interrogating him,” SDPO said.
“Further investigation is underway to find out the reasons behind the incident. We are yet to ascertain if it was a case of rape or not,” he said.
The woman was sleeping with her 8-year-old daughter in her house. Four days ago, her husband went to Delhi where he works as a migrant worker.
“The man knocked at the door and when my mother opened it, he dragged her to a jute field where he tied her with a rope and reportedly inserted a stick into her eyes which caused profuse bleeding,” the victim’s daughter told police.
The accused escaped from the spot after committing the crime.
Soon after, the relatives of the woman took her to Amdabad primary health centre (PHC) for treatment. After preliminary treatment, the doctor there referred her to Katihar district hospital.
Given her critical condition, the doctors in the district hospital further referred her to Katihar medical college and hospital (KMCH).
“At this stage, we are not sure whether her vision will return or not,” the doctor treating her at KMCH said, on condition of anonymity.
The woman lives at the Mahananda embankment with her minor daughter.