Black magic: Woman tries to end life, cops save her

Timely intervention of the city police saved the life of a 26-year-old woman who attempted suicide in Bagalgunte on January 8.

Nayana had consumed a concoction of phenyl mixed with pesticide in an attempt to kill herself after she was assaulted by two women neighbours over a black magic row.

As usual, assistant sub-inspector Puttegowda M and constable Bhoothaiah from the Bagalgunte police station were on patrol in their Hoysala vehicle no. 250.

Around 12 midnight, the duo received a message from the police control room, which said a woman had consumed poison and had locked herself inside her Shivappa Garden house in Defence Colony, Bagalgunte.

Puttegowda and Bhoothaiah rushed to the spot and broke open the door of the house to find Nayana lying unconscious hugging her one-year-old son, Adarsh.

Nayana had consumed half a bottle of phenyl mixed with a cockroach repellent powder. Her elder son, Dhaivik (4), was in a state of shock, crouched in a corner of the house crying, the police said. Nayana’s husband was not home during the time of the incident.

Soon after, Puttegowda rushed Nayana in the patrol vehicle to the nearby Sapthagiri Hospital. Her stomach was emptied after which she was put in the intensive care unit for observation.

As the ASI was taking her to the hospital, Nayana regained consciousness and told Puttegowda that she attempted suicide as she was being harassed by two women in her neighbourhood - Chinnamma and Mahadevamma.

Puttegowda recorded her statement on the way to the hospital, and learnt that the two women often quarrelled with Nayana over trivial issues.

On that night, Nayana had found lemons and vermillion in front of her door - a sign of black magic. She then questioned the two women neighbours on why they had performed black magic against her family. As the quarrel escalated, Chinnamma beat up Nayana, and shooed away her sons who came to help. Mahadevamma abused Nayana and told her to go kill herself.

A helpless Nayana, in her husband’s absence and no help from her house owner, then locked the door and consumed poison, the police said. Nayana was later shifted from Sapthagiri Hospital to KC General Hospital, where she is said to be out of danger.

The Bagalgunte police have taken up two cases -- one against Nayana for abetment of suicide and the other against Chinnamma and Mahadevamma for assaulting Nayana. Nayana is the complainant in the second case.