Fighting for his sight: Muhammed Nawshad Kamal
Police last night arrested a 16-year-old boy after a pizza deliver driver was sprayed in the face with acid by schoolboys who tried to steal his moped.
Muhammed Nawshad Kamal, 32, is likely to lose his sight after the vicious attack in Walthamstow, east London on Thursday.
The teenagers, who were riding their own moped, allegedly tried to steal his £2,500 scooter before carrying out an almost identical acid attack 30 minutes later.
And last night, police arrested a 16-year-old boy on suspicion of GBH and he remains in custody at an east London police station.
It comes after detectives arrested a 14-year-old boy on suspicion of GBH the day before. He has now been released under investigation.
Mr Kamal, who has lived in Britain for eight years after moving here from Bangladesh, had just dropped off a pizza when he was approached by two teenagers who demanded the keys to his scooter at 6pm on Thursday.
When he refused, he was sprayed with acid. Screaming in agony, Mr Kamal desperately banged on the door of the house he had just delivered to.
But his customers refused to open the door while his attackers continued to drench him in acid on their doorstep.
Their attack was only halted when a woman in a car nearby called for help. Within minutes, firemen and police arrived and poured water over Mr Kamal, who was struggling to breathe after inhaling the liquid.
A source close to the investigation said: ‘He had his helmet open and it went in his eyes and nose.’
The attack comes days after Scotland Yard Commissioner Cressida Dick said she was shocked at the ‘extraordinary’ surge in moped crime. In the year to September there were more than 19,385 ‘moped-enabled’ crimes in the capital, an average of 53 a day.
A takeaway delivery driver is fighting for his life and will probably be left blind after he was sprayed in the face with acid in an attempted robbery in Walthamstow
The victim, 32, was attacked by two suspects on a moped who tried to steal his scooter yesterday as the acid attack menace continues to plague the capital
Detective Chief Inspector Gordon Henderson said the victim’s injuries were shocking and added: ‘It is likely that he will lose sight in both eyes.’
Yesterday friends of the victim described his horrific injuries. Imran Rumel said: ‘I have been to see him in hospital and he is in a terrible state … I don’t know if he will ever see again.’
A Scotland Yard Spokesman said: ‘Both arrests relate to an incident in Walthamstow.
‘At about 6pm on Thursday, November 2 on Walpole Road, Walthamstow, a fast food delivery driver, was approached by two men on a scooter as he delivered a pizza to an address.
‘They demanded he hand over his keys, and when he refused a struggle followed, before the suspects produced a corrosive substance and sprayed him in the face.
‘The victim, a 32-year-old man, was wearing a helmet with the visor was up and received substantial injuries to his eyes and face.
‘The suspects left on their moped, leaving his behind. One wore a white helmet and one a black one.
‘Officers attended along with the London Ambulance Service and the London Fire Brigade.
‘The victim was treated at the scene with water and taken to an east London hospital.
‘He remains in hospital in a critical condition after inhaling the substance, and may lose the sight in both eyes. Police are continuing to appeal for information.’
Police believe the same gang struck again at 6.30pm the same day in Tottenham in another attempted robbery a mile and a half away.
A second delivery driver who is also 32 was approached by two men on a scooter who attempted to rob him and sprayed acid in his face.
The driver was also treated in hospital, but his injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
Mr Henderson said: ‘This attack has left a man fighting for his life… it is imperative we arrest those responsible.’
Witnesses said they saw paramedics lead the victim into an ambulance with his eyes closed
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