Kerala   

Shopkeeper's wrath

A heated exchange between a handicapped petty shop owner and two youths resulted in the former flinging vinegar into their face.

The reason attributed for the shop owner to do a vinegaroon (a scorpion that emits a strong odour of vinegar when disturbed) is that the youths peed in front of his shop after emerging from a cinema hall on M.M. Ali Road at Palayam on Wednesday night.

Irate eyewitnesses set afire the shop as the youths suffered burns on the face. They have been admitted to the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital.

The police are checking whether the liquid was some acid or vinegar stored in the shop. Vinegar, though actually dilute acetic acid, can cause serious injuries even if sprinkled into the eyes.

Adjoining shopkeepers say that their handicapped neighbour had acquired a habit of throwing polluted water into the face of people if they tried to antagonise him. Less than a fortnight ago he threw water spiced with chilli powder when an ill-fated customer took a cigarette without his permission from the shop.

Biju Govind

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