Ludhiana acid attack victim dies in Mumbai

A young woman who became a victim of an acid attack by a youth on her wedding day in Punjab's Ludhiana city earlier this month has died in a hospital in Mumbai, authorities in Ludhiana Friday said.

The victim, Harpreet Kaur, who suffered 50 percent burns in the attack Dec 7, was air-lifted to Mumbai's National Burns Centre Dec 12.

Kaur was inside the Lakme beauty salon in upscale Sarabha Nagar locality of Ludhiana, 110 km from here, when a youth threw a jar-full of acid on her. Two women employees of the salon also suffered burn injuries in the attack.

Police investigations, which earlier indicated the attack was by a jilted lover of the victim, later found out that the attack was carried out by a man at the behest of a woman who was divorced by the brother of the victim's fiance.

The victim had nothing to do with the divorce of the woman, Amritpal Kaur, from her husband, the elder brother of the groom to whom Harpreet was to get married.

The police later arrested six people, including Amritpal, for the conspiracy behind the acid attack.

Amritpal promised to pay one of the accused, Parvinder Singh, with whom she had an affair, Rs.10 lakh to carry out the attack. She made an advance payment of Rs.1.5 lakh.

Harpreet hailed from Barnala town, 75 km from Ludhiana.

Police officials in Ludhiana said the case would now be converted to that of murder after the death of the victim.