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UK: Teen arrested in London following acid attacks

by IBNS 13 Jul 2017, 11:19 pm

London, Jul 14 (IBNS): Police have arrested a teenager on suspicion that he was involved in acid attacks which plagued London on Thursday night, reports said.

At least five acid attacks were reported from several places in the capital, which according to the police, took place within 90 minutes, starting at 10:25 pm.

Though most injuries amounted to non-life threatening, one person was said to be critical and sustained a life-changing-injury.

The teenager is presently kept in an east London police station, the BBC reported.

The police quoted a victim as saying that two people riding a bike approached him before splashing him with a corrosive substance and vanishing with his moped.

The Met said that they have initiated an investigation.

Acid attack cases in London have risen in the past two years.

While 261 acid attacks were recorded in 2015, over 400 cases were registered in 2016.

So far, 119 cases have been recorded this year, the Met data showed.

Tweeting about the incident, Shadow Home Secretary and Stoke Newington MP Dianne Abbott said, "More terrible acid attacks, Why would you scar someone for life just to steal a moped."

Met have also said that about one third of these attack last year took place in Newham, a borough in London.