A puff costs trader his life

R T Nagar traffic police said Veerendra Kumar (30), a Mattadahalli resident and a native of Delhi, was into distribution and retail marketing of tobacco products.

On August 17, at around 10:30 pm, he lit a cigarette while heading home. He lost his balance while taking a turn and the vehicle skidded. The vehicle’s petrol tank lid opened and the fuel spilled onto his shirt and trousers. Sparks from the cigarette falling on his clothes set off a fire. Kumar suffered major burns on his chest, abdomen and thighs.

He was shifted to Victoria Hospital for treatment. On Thursday morning, he breathed his last.

Three commit suicide

Three persons committed suicide in the City in the last 24 hours. A 22-year-old homemaker ended her life by setting herself ablaze on Thursday afternoon in Chamarajpet police limits, allegedly due to dowry harassment.

Kamakshi, a resident of Rudrappa Garden, was married to Mallesh, an auto driver four years ago. Kamakshi’s parents had given Rs 10,000 as dowry to Mallesh.

However, Mallesh, his mother and two sisters harassed Kamakshi to get more dowry. The police arrested Mallesh, his mother and two sisters.

In K P Agrahara police station limits, Shwetha (17), a second year PUC student and a resident of K P Agrahara fifth cross, hanged herself from a ceiling fan at her house on Wednesday as she was upset after her mother, Bhagyamma, took her to task for talking to a boy.

Tejaswini (22), wife of Manjunath, a garments unit employee, hanged herself to death at her house on Wednesday. She was married to Manjunath four years ago. The couple had no issues. The reason for the suicide is not known, police said.

Cheats arrested

The CCB sleuths arrested a man for cheating a number of people and seized jewellery worth Rs 14 lakh. Venkataramana (50), a resident of Iragamattanahalli in Mulbagal taluk of Kolar district, introduced himself as a policeman to women wearing heavy jewellery.

After gaining their confidence, he would inform them that their relative had been arrested. He would promise to get the relative released, if they gave him their jewellery.
On receiving the jewellery, he would abscond.