LAHORE, Aug 15: Six people, including three nurses and a woman patient, suffered critical to moderate burn injuries when a man threw acid on his nurse wife at Mayo Hospital’s emergency on Wednesday.

DIG (Operations) Rai Muhammad Tahir told Dawn that Irfan, a resident of Narang Mandi, came to the medical emergency to see his estranged wife Rehmana Liaquat, who is a nurse by profession. He said Irfan threw acid on his wife after she refused to listen to him.

Acid also fell on nurses Shama Naz and Shazia, patient Sabira, midwife Bashiran and ward boy Imran and left them injured.

Witnesses captured Irfan, thrashed him and handed him over to police.

The DIG said the injured were admitted to Intensive Care Unit of the hospital. He said Irfan had grudge against his wife who got separated from him around 10 years ago.

A doctor at hospital’s emergency said Rehmana got major burns and her condition was critical.

An increase in acid attacks has been seen in recent months.

On July 6, a woman suffered burn injuries to her eyes and face in an acid attack in Ichhra. On June 18, a four-and-a-half-month old child, a teenaged girl and an old man suffered multiple burns in an acid attack in the Civil Lines area.

On May 27, two women and a girl became victim of an acid attack in the Islampura area of the city. The attack took place when the three were shopping at the local Sunday bazaar.

On April 3, unidentified motorcyclists injured a 28-year-old woman by throwing acid on her near Machis Factory in Shahdara Town police precincts.