An Indian soldier who left a woman blind and scarred for life after throwing acid on her in revenge for rejecting his advances has finally been arrested eight years after the attack.
Pramodini Roul, then just 15 years old, was subjected to a vicious acid attack by Santosh Bedanta, 35, as she was walking home from school in Odisha state in 2009.
Ms Roul, now 23 spent four months in ICU after the attack and has since undergone several series of reconstructive surgeries, including one to save a small amount of vision in her left eye.
Scarred for life: Pramodini Roul, then just 15 years old, was subjected to a vicious acid attack by Santosh Bedanta, 35, a man whose marriage proposal she had rejected
Ms Roul, known as Rani or Queen, had lost hope after the case was closed in 2012, but after an order by the chief minister of Odisha state, local police reopened the case in August this year.
Last week, Bedanta, a soldier in Indian army, was arrested along with his friend Anil Biswajit Dalasiharaya who rode the motorbike used in the attack.
A special team of police on November 26 conducted a raid at Santosh’s uncle’s house in Kolkata where he was hiding.
He was produced in court and was taken into police custody. The motorcycle used in the attack was also seized by the cops.
Bal Ram Nayak, investigating officer in the case said: ‘The accused Satosh Vedanta, who was a solider on General Duty, was arrested in Kolkata at around 2am on 26th of November.
Arrests: Santosh Bedanta, 35, right, a soldier in Indian army was arrested along with his friend Anil Biswajit Dalasiharaya who helped him during the attack
Admitting guilt: Bedanta, pictured while serving in the army, has admitted to carrying out the attack that left Ms Roul blind and scarred for life
‘We had first arrested Anil Biswajit Dalasiharaya, who had accompanied him for the attack from his house and during interrogation he revealed that Santosh might be hiding in neighbouring Kolkata.
‘We conducted raids and found him hiding at his uncle Yoshobanta Behara’s house.
‘Santosh has confessed of throwing acid upon the victim and confessed that it was a matter pertaining to one sided love and that he will soon be produced for identification parade before the victim.
‘The two police officers Inspector Dallai and RK Jaina, involved in the case previously were suspended because of shoddy investigation.’
Santosh remains in custody and police are waiting to record Pramodini’s statement in front of the judicial magistrate to make the investigation more concrete.
Jay Narayan Prakash, Superintendent of Police at Jagatisinghpur Police Station said: ‘We are waiting to record Pramodini’s statement after identification at judicial magistrate.
‘We want to be sure about our investigation so he can be convicted.
‘Once the statement is recorded we will make sure to file the chargesheet within two months. We will not delay it more than that at any cost.’
Attacked: Ms Roul is pictured before the horrific acid attack in 2009
Bedanta’s arrest has given Ms Roul and her family a sense of hope for justice. She is hoping for capital punishment or lifetime imprisonment for Santosh for inflicting torture and pain on her that will also warn future assailants of the fate.
Ms Roul said: ‘We feel a sense of victory already now that the case has been reopened and Santosh has been arrested. The arrest has given me hopes for justice.’
‘We are happy and pray that he be awarded with either capital punishment or lifetime imprisonment and no less.
‘He deserves stringent punishment, however, we believe that justice will be done to us by the court.’
The horrific incident happened when Ms Roul, then a 10th grade student was returning from taking an exam with her cousin.
She had been proposed to several times by Bedanta for marriage but each time, she had turned it down and she wanted to complete her studies first.
Furious with the repeated rejections, the spurned lover allegedly doused her with acid with the threat that ‘she will never be anyone else’s if she will not be his’.
Ms Roul has had to undergo a long recovery process, but opened up about finding love on the way earlier this year.
Her partner Saroj, who she met while undergoing treatment for infections on her legs in hospital in 2014, proposed last year.
Saroj was the friend of Ms Roul’s nurse and had been visiting patients voluntary when he became friends with her and eventually fell for her charms.
The couple now live together in New Delhi, and are contemplating getting married in two years as they are waiting to get further reconstructive surgeries before they take the plunge.
Finding happy: Ms Roul with her fiancee Saroj who she hopes to marry once she has had further reconstructive surgery
Ms Roul’s neck is bent as the skin on her back completely melted. She still requires further surgeries on her eyes as she is only able to see a little and needs plastic surgeries on her head as a major portion of skin is missing.
Ms Roul says: ‘Saroj really treats me like a princess. He loves me like the way I am. He always encourages me to live life happily.
‘I feel very lucky to have him. He is very understanding and is always there for me.
‘We met in March 2014 when he had come with his friends to visit the hospital. Initially we didn’t speak to each other, even though he had seen me.
‘However, after around 15 days he started to speak to me. He would often visit the hospital.
‘I believe he saw my mother and observed her and then slowly started extending helping hands. She would always come alone for my physiotherapy.
‘One day he heard my mother ask about my improvement and how long would it take for me to recover as my lower body had by then deteriorated. I was not even moving without help, let alone standing on my feet.
‘The reply wasn’t very positive as the doctors said that it would take at least four years for me to be able to walk. My mother naturally broke down when she heard that. That is when Saroj consoled her and assured her that he would do everything possible to get me walking.’
She said: ‘I am hoping to get further surgeries as soon as possible. Doctors say I need at least four more surgeries.’
The surgeries are extremely expensive. Ms Roul’s mother has exhausted all her savings on the previous procedures but has no resources to foot the bill for further operations.
She now works with Chhanv Foundation, a support care for acid attack survivors that helps in arranging funds for their surgeries and rehabilitation.
She said: ‘I am happy that I am able to restart my life again but it would be wonderful if I can get all the reconstructive surgeries soon.’