Man loses eye in acid attack over money in extramarital affair; Couple accused

A 28-year-old man, Hamza Mandal, suffered an acid attack on January 7 in Meherpur, North 24 Parganas, after a dispute over money lent to a woman, Asmatara Bibi, with whom he allegedly had an extramarital affair. The attack caused him to lose vision in one eye, with significant damage to the other.

Hamza alleged that during their relationship, he had lent a considerable amount of money to Asmatara. After their relationship soured, he began demanding repayment, which reportedly led to escalating tensions. According to Hamza, he was called to Asmatara's house on the night of the attack to resolve the matter.

He arrived at their house around 9:30 PM, where an argument broke out between him, Asmatara, and her husband. During the confrontation, acid was thrown at his face. Hamza collapsed in pain, and his cries for help drew locals to the scene. They rushed him to Bongaon Sub-Divisional Hospital for treatment.

Due to the severity of his injuries, Hamza was later transferred to Kolkata Medical College Hospital. Doctors confirmed that his right eye has been permanently blinded, and his left eye is critically injured. Further treatment is ongoing to assess the extent of damage to his vision.

Hamza has filed a police complaint against Asmatara and her husband, accusing them of orchestrating the attack. In response, the couple lodged a counter-complaint against him. Police have begun an investigation, including examining the financial dispute and events surrounding the incident. No arrests have been made so far.