JOIN USAcid attack: Ugly end to years of unrequited love
The acid attack on a 25-year-old woman by her spurned lover on Thursday was an ugly end to years of the proverbial unrequited love.
Nagesh, 27, started wooing the woman seven years ago when they both lived as neighbours in Hegganahalli. She lived with her family while Nagesh, who is from Sarjapur, had rented a house owned by her uncle.
As he tried to court her, she spurned his advances. He then started stalking her. She complained to her uncle and got him evicted from the house. But Nagesh didn’t give up and tried to contact her again.
Around two weeks ago, Nagesh learnt that she was working at Muthoot Fincorp in Sunkadakatte and started following her to the workplace.
On Wednesday evening, he went to her office and insisted that she reciprocate his love. But she spurned him.
The woman told him she always considered him a brother and never had any other feelings for him. Nagesh is said to have threatened her with dire consequences, including an acid attack.
But before things went out of control, her colleagues intervened and asked Nagesh to stop bothering her, saying she is about to get married soon. Nagesh left, promising to not trouble her again. But it was just a ruse. He had decided to attack her with acid.
Nagesh spent the night at his home in Annapoorneshwari Nagar plotting the acid attack. By then, he had sourced a bottle of acid as well as a pair of gloves. He woke up early in the morning and headed for Sunkadakatte, where the woman works. He reached there well in time and lay waiting outside her office.
She arrived around 8.30 am, dropped off by her father. But her office hadn’t opened yet. She sat on the stairs, waiting for her colleagues to arrive.
Nagesh got a golden opportunity. Acid bottle in hand, he confronted her. She immediately sensed the danger and ran to safety.
But he was right behind and succeeded in throwing acid from behind, smouldering her back, head and hands. Mission accomplished, he discarded the acid bottle and the gloves, and scooted off.
No CCTV cameras
A supervisor at the victim’s office told DH: “She was standing on the first floor where there are no CCTV cameras. He followed her and almost instantly threw acid on her.”
The colleague said Nagesh had come to the office on Wednesday evening but went away after he threatened to call the security. “He was upset. The victim’s sister is getting married next year but she lied to him saying she is getting married soon just to avoid him. She hoped he would leave her,” the supervisor said.
Locals initially rushed the woman to a nearby hospital, from where she was later shifted to St John’s Hospital. Dr Karthik, who treated her initially, told reporters she had suffered 40-50% burns and that her condition was unstable. He also said that the next 48-72 hours would be critical.
The woman’s family said they knew Nagesh was harassing her and had complained to his elder brother.
Kamakshipalya police have booked Nagesh for attempted murder and punishment for acid attack, and are hunting for him. They have questioned his family members.
Police have sent the acid residue found on the stairs for a forensic examination in order to find which acid it was and its proportion.
The Karnataka State Commission for Women has taken up a suo motu case, said its chairperson, Pramila Naidu, who visited the crime scene. She promised to compensate the woman based on the severity of the burns injuries she has sustained.
Main breadwinner
The acid victim is the main breadwinner of her family, according to a colleague. She has a sister and a younger brother.
"Her father is an auto driver and her mother is a vegetable vendor. Her parents have health issues and cannot go to work regularly. She is a diligent worker," he told DH.
'She needs long hospital stay'
The victim has suffered 30% burns, said Dr Arvind Kasthuri, Chief of Medical Services, St John's Medical College Hospital. "She has burn injuries on the upper part of her neck, some parts of her face, chest and other areas. She is hemodynamically stable which means her blood pressure is alright, but in her blood, there is a condition which we call acidosis, which is a metabolic condition where some parameters in the blood slightly change and this usually happens in people who are experiencing stress and burn injuries."
He added that she was stable but would require 10 or more days of hospitalisation. "She is conscious, alert and responsive."