THE 23-YEAR-old Indian man who brutally stabbed a young woman in broad daylight in the heart of Nicosia was yesterday remanded in custody for eight days, police said.
Authorities are investigating to what extent the attack on Valentina Agathangelou, 20, on Sophocleous Street near Phaneromeni Church, was premeditated after they found a knife, screwdriver and mobile phone without a SIM card on the roof of a house near her Kaimakli home. A neighbour told police he had heard something on Monday night and then found the items on his roof.
Police said the Indian, who stabbed Agathangelou eight times with a screwdriver and then handed himself in to police, giving a full confession, admitted he had been outside her house but had only wanted to speak to her.
The 23-year-old allegedly told police he had attacked the young woman out of jealousy because she hung out with other people.
The incident took place at the victim’s shop in old Nicosia at 4pm on Tuesday. The two are believed to have had a fight over the young man’s incessant pestering of her.
During their argument, there was a struggle and the Indian youth took out a screwdriver and lunged at Agathangelou. Although she fought back, the 20-year-old suffered two stab wounds to the head, including one very near her eye, one to the chest and five more to other parts of her body.
She then managed to run out of her shop and to call for help.
Agathangelou’s condition is still critical after Nicosia general hospital surgeons operated for over six hours to save her. She was yesterday heavily sedated in the Intensive Care Unit and was put on a respirator. Reports said the young woman went into cardiac arrest just before undergoing surgery and had suffered internal bleeding from the attack.
Her mother has not left her daughter’s side. Close family also stayed at the hospital until very late on Tuesday, while doctors fought to save the 20-year-old.
Friends yesterday described the victim, who has a brother and sister, as “a really nice girl”.
“He was obsessed with her. I didn’t know him, but I know he was in love with her and that she wasn’t interested. She kept telling him to leave her alone. When he went to see her yesterday she got angry and told him to stop bothering her. He got mad and then just attacked her,” a source close to the victim’s family said.
“It could have been anyone. It’s not because he was an Indian. He was just obsessed and attacked her. Thank God the doctors have told her parents that the damage to her eye will not be permanent and she will see again. They woke her at 8am this morning and she’s only moved her arm,” he added.
The screwdriver attack has left women frightened and disturbed about how safe the capital’s streets really are.
“Normally I avoid walking down places like that at night, but now it’s made me scared about walking around during the day,” a 26-year-old woman said.
“I used to walk everywhere alone. Now that this has happened I’m a bit scared. It’ll make me think twice,” said another.
