Accused in acid attack on Kangana's sister arrested

Dehra Dun, Oct 28 (UNI) The Dehra Dun Police today said it had arrested the main accused and his accomplice in the acid attack case of Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut's sister Rangoli.

Uttaranchal Director General of Police Kanchan Chaudhary Bhattacharya told reporters here that the police had evidence against the two arrested persons -- Avinash Sharma and Prem Singh.

The main accused Avinash, who hails from Mandi in Himachal Pradesh, had a long association with Rangoli, she said. He had hired Singh, a resident of Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir who worked as a welder in Himachal, to throw acid on the victim.

The DGP said on October 5, the two came down to Dehra Dun from Chandigarh by bus and returned the same day after committing the crime. ''When the police released the attacker's sketch, drawn on the description of Rangoli's friend Vijaya who was with the victim during the attack and also received minor burns, Avinash surrendered before the CJM court in Chandigarh on October 10. He was brought here on October 11 on transit remand and presented in the CJM Court.

However, he was released by the court.'' She said as the police suspected Avinash's involvement in the case as his old mobile numbers were traced in Rangoli's mobile, the investigating team continued to keep a watch on him. Later, the police became aware about Prem Singh's involvement and after ollecting evidence, arrested him on yesterday from Jogendra Nagar, in Mandi in Himachal Pradesh.

The DGP said the police arrested Avinash from Chandigarh today.

Both the accused were presented in front of the media.

Avinash denied any involvement in the crime but said that he knew Rangoli since five years.

Rangoli, a student of Uttaranchal College of Life and Technology, was called by the accused on the pretext of delivering a draft on October 5 when she was attacked.

She had received 10 percent burn injuries in the attack and her friend Vijaya sustained minor burns.

UNI XC RR RK1914