Attack on journalist Kareem and his wife Sirisha

Shaik Kareemulla alias Kareem, a journalist with TV5, a Telugu news channel and his wife, Sirisha, a former anchor with TV9, suffered injuries when her family allegedly threw acid on them on Tuesday at their Srinagar Colony apartment.

Both were admitted to Apollo Hospital at Jubilee Hills. While Kareem’s condition is said to be critical, Sirisha is being treated for burns on her hands and chest. Kareem and Sirisha got married on March 22, 2008, against the wishes of her parents. Kareem reportedly divorced his first wife. Subsequently, he married Sirisha who converted to Islam. After marriage, Sirisha’s parents had lodged complaints with the police but since she is a major, no case was pursued.

Sirisha’s family then approached the SHRC. In her deposition during the hearings, Sirisha said she had married Kareem on her own accord.

According to Banjara Hills police inspector Mohd Iqbal Siddiqui, Sirisha’s father M Sambasiva Rao, a retired employee of ASI, mother Krishna Kumari and brother M Kiran Babu, came to Kareem’s house around 9.30 am. “After a heated argument, my husband was attacked by my father and brother,” Sirisha said.

Police said Kiran Babu threw acid on Kareem’s face, chest and hands resulting in his suffering severe burns. His eyes too got damaged in the attack.

“The extent of damage to his eyesight will be known only after he regains consciousness,” Dr K Hari Prasad, CEO, Apollo Hopsital, told TOI. In her complaint, Sirisha said Kareem was also hit on the head with a hammer by Kiran. Sirisha who tried to intervene when acid was thrown at Kareem also suffered burns.

“My parents came with the plan to attack us and brought the acid in a bag. Since my father carries his medicines in his bag, we did not suspect their real motive,” Sirisha said. When Kiran and Sambasiva Rao tried to flee from the scene, they were caught by the neighbours. A shocked Sirisha alerted police and 108 ambulance.

According to Kareem’s journalist friend V Suresh, the former had called up the latter in the morning asking him to come to his flat by 9 am.

“I went to his flat 40 minutes later and found Kareem moaning with pain,” Suresh said.

Dr Hari Prasad told that Kareem’s condition was critical and that he would have to be kept under observation for three to four days. Kareem suffered 30 per cent ‘deep burns’ on his face, on both his eyes, chest and hands. Sirisha suffered five per cent burns on her chest and hands. Kiran Babu whose ear Kareem had reportedly bitten also went to the hospital for treatment. Kiran Babu and Sambasiva Rao were arrested.