A woman left partially blinded by an acid attack has hit out at unfounded suspicions she injured herself, as police announced that two people had been arrested.

Naomi Oni, 21, suffered extensive injuries in the incident in Dagenham, east London, in December. Over the weekend several media organisations reported a theory that the wounds may have been self-inflicted.

On Monday the Metropolitan police said they had arrested a 21-year-old woman and a 28-year-old man, believed to be acquaintances of Oni.

The woman was arrested on Friday and the man on Sunday, both on suspicion of being involved in causing grievous bodily harm. Both have been released on bail. In an unusual move, police made clear that the woman arrested was not the victim.

Oni told the Evening Standard newspaper: "I've only just come out of hospital after having surgery on my eye. To see this story saying that I'd done it made me so angry and really hurts. There's no way I would have done this to myself. I want the person who did this to be caught."

She said her attacker was wearing a niqab and gave her a "cold stare" before throwing the liquid at her from behind. It was reported that detectives who examined CCTV footage had found no sign of anyone in a niqab in the area when the attack took place.

Detectives renewed their appeal for witnesses to the attack, which happened in the early hours of 30 December after Oni got off a bus near her home.

The Met said: "Police would like to speak with a potential witness who got on the route 368 bus at Barking railway station and got off at Lodge Avenue at around 0045 hours on 30 December. He is described as a black man, around 20 to 30 years, 5ft 5in in height and of medium build, wearing a black jacket and a black hooded top with blue jeans."