Refusal to marry cost a girl dearly in Uttar Pradesh’s Agra district when her fiance allegedly attacked her with acid on Thursday inflicting serious injuries on her face and body.

The 22-year-old girl has been admitted to the medical college hospital in Agra town where her condition is stated to be critical.

According to the police sources, the girl’s marriage was fixed with Ishtiaq, who is also an Agra resident. Their engagement was solemnised a few months ago.

The marriage proposal, however, had to be dropped by the girl’s family after Ishtiaq’s family reportedly demanded a hefty dowry. Being poor, the girl’s parents expressed their inability to pay and called off the marriage.

Ishtiaq, however, continued to exert pressure on the girl to marry him but she reportedly spurned him, the sources said.

An enraged Ishtiaq, carrying a bottle of acid, barged into the girl’s house on Thursday morning and poured it on her.

The unsuspecting girl suffered serious injuries on face and other parts.

The culprit managed to escape. The victim, who writhed in pain, was rushed to the hospital where her condition was said to be critical.

Police said a massive manhunt has been launched to nab the culprit. Ishtiaq’s photographs have been sent to all the police stations in the city, the police said.

Incidentally, it is the eight acid attack on Agra girls in past two months, the sources said, adding that resentment prevailed in the area where the victim lived.

Barely a couple of days ago, four members of a family were attacked with acid after they refused to accept a marriage proposal from a youth in Bulandshahr.