Express News Service
23 Apr 2012

BANGALORE: Kumar, 50, suspecting the fidelity of his wife Gowramma, threw acid on her in Dubasipalya opposite to R V College of Engineering on Saturday.

According to the police, unable to bear Kumar’s harassment, Gowramma had parted ways with him. The couple were living separately for four years and she was working at a garment factory. On Saturday around 8.30 am, Kumar allegedly waited for Gowramma to finish her work, and he claimed he had reformed and wanted to start a new life with her.

Later, he took her to Dubasipalya on the pretext of house hunting, where he threw acid on her and escaped. Passersby noticed her screaming for help and shifted her to a hospital. Soon, Kumar was arrested.

“The acid used in the crime is used for polishing tiles and he had purchased 200 ml of acid from a hardware shop. During interrogation, Kumar revealed that he attacked his wife as she allegedly had an illicit affair. Also, he was upset with her for denying to stay with him. However, investigation has to reveal more about his allegations. He has been booked under attempt to murder, dowry harassment and other cases,” police added. Kengeri police registered a case in this connection and are further investigating.

‘He waited for three days to attack me’

Meanwhile, Gowramma alleged that her husband was trying to attack her since last Wednesday.

“I had seen him waiting for me near the factory since Wednesday. But I had managed to escape from him. But on Saturday, he approached me and told that he had reformed now, and claimed he wanted to start a new life with me. I trusted him. Later, he said he had seen some houses for rent and he wanted me to finalise them. But when I went along with him, he took out a bottle and poured acid on me,” she said. The couple had married 17 years ago and have four children.

“Earlier, we used to stay at Devagere near Kumbalgodu. Though everything was fine initially, after some years Kumar had started to suspect my fidelity. He was addicted to alcohol and depended on my money to buy alcohol. Earlier, I used to work as a domestic maid and he used to harass me in an inebriated condition. He also used to sell household articles to buy alcohol. He had started assaulting me and then I decided to desert him and started living along with my sons in Sun City. He had traced the house and frequently used to visit us and harass. So, I had moved out from that area and started living with one my colleagues at her house in Muthurayanapalya,” she said.

Due to poverty, Gowramma has admitted her three sons to an ‘ashram.’