Image released of Sydney acid attack suspect

Sydney Police have released an image of a man wanted over a violent Sydney home invasion in which caustic soda, a substance with similar effects to acid, was poured in the faces of two Sri Lankan students.

Jayasri Watawala, 22, and Chathurika Weerasinghe, 27, were at their Westmead home in Sydney’s west on the night of May 17 when attacked.

Police say a group of up to five men forced their way into the property where the corrosive liquid sodium hydroxide was splashed on the victims, who also suffered other physical injuries.

“The victims suffered life-threatening wounds in the attack,” police said in a statement.

Amalathepan Srikantharajah, 25, of Girraween in western Sydney, has been charged with the attempted murder of both men, is accused by police of being one of the “principal offenders” in the home invasion.

He was refused bail in a Sydney court last week. On the day of the attack, there had been unrest between Tamil and Sinhalese groups outside Westmead railway station after the Sri Lankan Government Forces claimed victory over the LTTE.

Since those inquiries, police have released a computer-generated image of a man wanted for questioning over the attack. The man is described as being about 180cm tall, with a dark complexion, solid build and collar-length, spiky black hair.

The victims of the attack were continuing their slow rehabilitation program, police said last week. Srikantharajah is due to face court next on July 16.

AAP