A jilted lover enraged by his girlfriend's refusal to marry him allegedly threw acid on her, injuring her seriously.
The girl used to run a pan masala stall to support herself and her younger brother after her parents died.
The incident took place at the busy Birhana road area here last night when Sameer, a resident of Kuti Mall, along with his friend came on a motorbike and threw acid on the 16-year-old girl, police said.
The victim was rushed to a hospital with severe burns on her hand and chest, they said.
The girl and Samir had been friends for a year. Samir wanted to marry her but she had refused his proposal following which he was upset.
The girl's grandfather had even fixed her marriage elsewhere angering him further. A case has been registered and a search is on to nab Samir, they said.