A gangrape and acid attack survivor was attacked once again with acid in Aliganj locality here, police said on Sunday.
This is the fifth attack on the woman.
The latest incident took place on Saturday night near a hostel where she resides. She was rushed to a hospital where her condition was stated to be stable.
She has sustained burn injuries on her face and neck, police said, adding that no FIR has been registered yet and they are awaiting a complaint. A probe is being conducted, police added.
Although UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had announced an assistance of Rs 1 lakh when she was attacked on 23 March, but he suggested a conspiracy angle after the latest incident.
Talking to a private news channel, he expressed doubts over the incident, saying it may have been staged to defame his government, even as opposition parties unleashed a barrage of criticism over the law and order situation in the state.
Adityanath said the hostel the woman resides in is absolutely safe and no outsider could get in. Moreover, police had provided her with security after the previous attack.
"Despite all these, how did this incident take place?" he asked.
Ye ghatna sachmuch ghatna hai ya fir ghatna ke naam par kuchh log kewal badnaam karne ki sajish rach rahe hain (Has this attack really happened or are some people hatching a conspiracy to defame the state government?)
He also said the law is meant to protect, but if someone misuses it, action would be taken against them.
Police said no FIR has been registered yet and they are awaiting a complaint from the victim's family.
Police, meanwhile, claimed that none of the eyewitnesses had seen anyone throwing acid or running away.
Be it the hostel warden or the girls, no one saw the attacker or anyone fleeing from there. We are trying to take the statement of the victimPolice
The constable deployed for her protection also said he did not see anyone running away from the spot.
"When I heard a voice, I ran towards the hostel, but I did not find anyone running from there. I was there outside," constable Sandeep said.
Less than four months ago, the woman was allegedly forced to drink acid by two men onboard a train near here.
The incident had come to light when the woman had got off the Allahabad-Lucknow Ganga Gomti Express at Charbagh Station here and lodged a written complaint with the government railway police. She wrote the complaint as she could not speak.
As per the complaint, two persons had forced her to drink acid.
Earlier, two men had allegedly raped and attacked her with acid over a property dispute at her home at Unchahar in 2009, 100 kilometres from Lucknow.
The woman works with Sheroes Hangout Cafe, an outlet run by acid attack survivors in Lucknow.
In 2012, the woman was attacked with a knife, and in 2013 she was attacked with acid, police sources said.
(With inputs from PTI)
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