Mangaluru: Three female students suffered third-degree burn injuries on their faces after a young male threw acid on them near a government pre-university college in the taluka headquarters town of Kadaba in Dakshina Kannada district on Monday.

An official said, "The girls have been shifted to a private hospital after the incident, which took place when they were preparing for the Pre-University Course (PUC) exams sitting in the corridors of the college.”

The youth was wearing a mask and cap to conceal his identity, approached them with a bottle, and threw acid targeting their faces. He has been identified as Abin hailing from neighbouring Kasaragod district in Kerala, reported PTI citing an official.

He tried to escape after the attack but the local people who were witness to this incident chased and apprehended him and handed him over to the police.

"The victims were taken to the Kadaba government hospital but the doctors there advised the families to shift them to Mangaluru for better treatment as the burn was extensive," the official said.

The Kadaba police are investigating the matter. 

(With PTI inputs)