Four injured in acid attack in Kolkata

Kolkata, March 3 (IANS) Four persons, three of them leather workshop owners, were severely injured in an acid attack here during a scuffle over payment disputes, the city police said on Friday.

The acid attack took place in Kolkata’s Leather Complex area on Thursday.

"Three owners of a leather workshop and a leather supplier got severely injured as a harmful chemical, kept in a container, was spilled on them during a scuffle," an officer from Leather Complex police station said.

"The four victims were initially admitted to Chittaranjan Hospital in central Kolkata with serious burn injuries. They were later shifted to other private hospitals," he said.

According to the Kolkata Police, an altercation broke out between the three owners of the leather workshop No.238 in the complex and two leather suppliers from Uttar Pradesh over the pending payments.

The altercation turned into a serious scuffle and one of the suppliers threw a chemical container at the workshop owners.

"The suppliers demanded Rs 26,500 for the supplied leather but the workshop owners contradicted them, saying the amount should be far less. The alleged supplier threw the container at the owners without noticing that the lid was open," the police officer said.

"We have arrested the offender and slapped him with the charge of offence affecting human body and causing grievous injury. The other victims would also be questioned once they recover," he added.