Four sisters attacked with acid in northern India

Four sisters suffered burns from acid thrown by two motorbike riders in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, police said Wednesday. The sisters, aged 21 to 27, were returning home late Tuesday from the school where they were teaching in the town of Kandhla when they were attacked, local police officer Pankaj Verma said. 

One of the sisters suffered severe injuries to her eyes and was being treated in New Delhi, about 120 kilometres south of Kandhla. One of the attackers wore a helmet while the other had his face covered by a scarf. No arrests had been made yet, Verma said.

There are 100 to 500 acid attacks in India every year, according to Kolkata-based non-profit Acid Survivors Foundation of India (ASFI). There are no official statistics as the attacks are not recorded as a distinct crime category.