Who is Nafiah Ikram? NY medical student, 21, left blind and burned in 'planned' attack with battery acid
In March 2021, an acid attack in her own driveway left a New York woman blind and severely burned. On Thursday, April 21, Nafiah Ikram spoke up about her ordeal as her family is going public with a plea, so as to find who did this to her and why.
In the attack outside her Elmont, Long Island home, Ikram, 21, received serious burns all over her face, which her family claims was 'planned' Ikram was targeted on her way home from work, according to her father, Sheikh Ikram, 50. The attack left her in hospital for 15 days, suffering from severe burns to her face, eyes, neck, and hands, according to the New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. Here's what's to know about the young New York college student.
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Who is Nafiah Ikram?
Nafiah Ikram is a medical student at Hofstra University. She had planned to become a doctor. She is a Sewanhaka High School and New Hyde Park High School alum. After the attack, Ikram was rushed to the hospital by her mother, who also works there.
CBS New York reported that Ikram was a family friend of celebrity chef Padma Lakshmi. The Indian American author and activist took to Instagram to share the news. "On the evening of March 17th, 21-year old Nafiah & her mom were getting out of their car at their home in Elmont, Long Island when a man with gloves sprinted up to her and threw battery acid in her face," she wrote.
"The acid splashed onto Nafiah's eyes, face, chest and arms. Her contacts melted into her eyes & we're not sure if she'll ever regain her vision. Her parents tried to help her and it got on them as well. It's uncertain if it was a hate crime & we are still searching for the people that did this to her."
Lakshmi said she has known the Pakistani family for over a decade. The New York Post reported that Ikram's father was a professional driver to the Bravo 'Top Chef'. She added that they were "a very nice family". Ikram was their only daughter. "She has lost a year at college. She may lose her eyesight. She will never be the same again," she said, describing her as an "innocent, young, promising girl". Ikram's mother is out of work because she is caring for her daughter at home. A GoFundMe has been set up to help the family pay for her treatment and care.
'Not a random attack'
Ikram's father said the attack was not a random one. "If it was a random attack why did… they waited for her to come home,” Ikram said, adding the suspect could have attacked his wife, who was outside moments earlier," he said to the New York Post. “They come very closely to her and it was so much acid, like almost… you can say one pound,” the distraught father added.
He was not present at home at the moment, he said, and explained that it may have been impossible to save Ikram if her mother, too, weren't home. He described his daughter as "a very friendly person" who did not have any enemies. "She was in the hospital for three weeks, and she’s still not able to eat properly. She can’t see anything good. Only one eye is working," he said.
'I can just see colors'
"I can just see colors, but that’s it," Nafiah Ikram said, to CBS New York. "I want to know, like, what’s the reason? Like, what could I have possibly done to somebody?" she said.
“The male suspect was carrying a white-colored cup containing a dark-colored substance which he then threw at the victim’s face,” police said in a statement. The unknown male attacker wore a mask and a hoodie during the assault. The assailant fled in a red 2013-2015 Nissan Altima with fog lights, standing 6-feet tall and having a "skinny" body. Two other suspects are believed to have been in the getaway vehicle.
CAIR-NY's legal director, Ahmed Mohamed, called for a hate crime investigation. “The family and the community at large must learn why this happened,” he said Wednesday, April 21, according to NY Daily News. “The New York State Hate Crimes Task Force must aid local law enforcement as the search for the suspects enter the second month.” A security camera captured Ikram's acid attack, which was shared on the Go Fund Me page set up to help her with her medical expenses.
Any information related to the attack can be relayed to Nassau Police (@nassaucountypd): 516-573-8800. A $10,000 reward is being offered by Nassau County Police for details leading to an arrest. To dramatically increase the number, community organizations are raising funds. Calls to 1-800-244-TIPS will, of course, remain confidential.