The suspected needle attack on a 52-year-old woman turned out to be a case of an attempt to snatch her gold ornaments. A Sailaja, a record assistant at Chodavaram Girls High School, and a resident of Kommadi, complained to the police that she was attacked by a stranger with a needle at Balayya Sastry Layout area and also claimed that the man (pillion rider) and the rider of the bike were wearing masks. The victim was admitted to a private hospital at Madhurawada. Medical reports suggest that she was not injected, as suspected, but sustained a minor injury when the accused tried to snatch her gold chain, according to Inspector of Dwaraka Nagar Police Station Ch. Shanmukha Rao.
The needle psycho, who had attacked people in East and West Godavari districts, was a solo operator, where as in the present case two youngsters on a bike were involved in the attack on a woman and a needle attack could be ruled out, police sources opined.