Maid ends life after employer accuses her of theft

A 48-year-old domestic help committed suicide more than a week after her employer accused her of stealing a bracelet, police said.

Thangamani, a mother of three, worked at the flat of one Dr Sandhya in Adugodi, south central Bengaluru. The doctor works at the Victoria Hospital. About 10 days ago, she lost a bracelet and suspected that Thangamani had stolen it. Thangamani didn’t stop going to work but was very upset about the accusation.

Things came to a head on Friday when Dr Sandhya threatened to go to police if she didn’t get the bracelet back. Thangamani opened up to her husband, Gopi, and said she was frightened by the thought of police questioning her.

Around 3.30 am on Saturday, Thangamani woke up when her whole family was fast asleep. She poured kerosene and set herself on fire. Her screams woke up her husband, children and neighbours. They put out the fire and took her to a hospital but she died by then.

Police have booked Dr Sandhya for abetment to suicide following a complaint by Gopi. A senior police officer said they were reviewing the CCTV footage of Dr Sandhya’s flat and would question her soon.