The chief suspect in an acid attack in east London, which two cousins with life-changing injuries, has handed himself into police.
Pakistan-origin Jameel Muhktar and his cousin Resham Khan, a student at Manchester Metropolitan University, suffered severe burns when a man threw acid through their car window as they sat in traffic in Newham, London on June 21. Muhktar, 37, and Khan were out celebrating her 21st birthday when the incident happened.
Police said they had stopped at traffic lights when a man approached them and threw the toxic substance at Khan through the window. The attacker then threw more of the acid at Muhktar before fleeing the scene.
John Tomlin, 24, has been arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm with intent, London police said. he walked into an east London police station on Sunday and he is currently still in custody.
Officers have been appealing for the whereabouts of Tomlin, in connection with the attack, since June 29.
‘Excruciating pain’
Muhktar spoke out about the incident in an interview with Channel 4 News, in which he deemed the attack a “hate crime”.
“I honestly feel that if this was a white person that got attacked by an Asian person he’d be caught within 24 hours. It’d be all over the news, there’d be a national manhunt.”
Describing the incident, Muhktar said: “He just squirted this clear liquid over us which I thought was water until my cousin started to scream. I was watching her burning. Next thing you know, I’m burning.”
Muhktar tried to drive away from the scene when he realised what had happened but, in a state of panic, he crashed the car into a barrier.
The pair were taken to a local hospital. Doctors had to jet wash Muhktar to clean the acid off his skin.
Muhktar was put into an induced coma following the attack, while Resham underwent a skin graft. They both suffered severe burns to their faces and bodies.
Almost £35,000 has been raised for the pair through an online GoFundMe page.
