Acid attack in Kaloor Jn over activating SIM card

Kochi: A 47-year-old employee of a Vodaphone shop in Kaloor was attacked with acid by an enraged customer on Thursday evening after the store allegedly 'failed' to activate the new SIM card bought from there on Wednesday.
Zachariah Poulose, the channel partner at the Vodaphone store in Chammany Towers, Kaloor, was attacked with formic acid on Thursday evening at around 4.15pm by Sunny Thomas (52), a native of Rajakkad in Idukki, who has been residing in the city for the past few years.According to Ernakulam north police, the incident took place when the accused, Sunny, came to the store at around 3pm and started an argument with a female employee, alleging that his SIM card has not been activated. The accused was confronted by the victim who escorted him out of the store. According to eyewitnesses, the accused swore revenge before leaving. "He left the store and returned an hour later at around 4.15pm with a huge knife and a large plastic bottle filled with the acid. At first, he tried to cut Zachariah with the knife, but the weapon accidentally hit the chair. Then he emptied the acid on the victim," said Mary Stephy, an employee at the store and an eyewitness to the crime.
The victim was rushed to a private hospital in the city where he is undergoing treatment. Hospital authorities stated that the formic acid used by the accused was diluted and, therefore, had not resulted in any serious burns or injuries. But it has caused minor injuries to the victim's eyes.
The accused worked in Kochi as a watchman and allegedly had mental issues, according to the police. A case has been registered. The accused was produced before a magistrate and remanded in judicial custody.