It has been five days since Balaji Bushan Patnaik, a 35-year-old doctor based in Visakhapatnam, was attacked with acid near Pandimetta Power Station by two unidentified persons.
However, the case is proving tough to crack, and the police are yet to make any headway in investigation.
Patnaik, a pediatrician working at the Seven Hills Hospital, hails from Cuttack.
According to the narrative of the crime pieced together by the police, two men approached Patnaik’s car from behind and knocked on the window. When Patnaik rolled down the window, one of them flung acid on his face, and the duo fled the spot on a motorbike.
As the doctor screamed in pain, a crowd of locals gathered, who then rushed him to the LV Prasad Eye Hospital and from there to the ICU of the Seven Hills Hospital.
The attack had shocked locals in the area as well as the medical community in the city, as it was the first of its kind.
No motives uncovered
Speaking to TNM, East Zone ACP Narasimha Murthy, said, "So far, we have checked CCTV footage and followed all other due processes of investigation. We looked at earlier cases, and verified some claims, but nothing has been established so far."
While the doctor did speak to the police and record his statement, even that has been of little help, as the police are yet to establish the motive.
"Usually, acid attacks are planned as a mode of revenge. However, he's not throwing any light on whether he has any suspects in mind. He does not doubt anyone, and says that there is no scope for a revenge attack," the ACP added.
While one of the doctor’s patients is learnt to have recently argued with him, the police already investigated the angle, and found nothing.
"Likewise, if there are more probable reasons, we will investigate and find out who the accused were, and what the motive was," the ACP said.
The doctor’s elder brother, Mihir Patnaik, who arrived in the city from Mumbai, also told the media that he did not know of his brother having an enmity with anyone.
Meanwhile, Patnaik is starting to recover from the attack.
"He is doing better, and has been shifted to Mumbai for better treatment and a possible surgery," the police officer added.