Woman suffers miscarriage after being thrashed by in-laws

A six-and-a-half month pregnant woman had suffered a miscarriage after being assaulted by her in-laws.

Jnanabharathi police have registered a case with regard to the incident after the 32-year-old flower vendor, Shree Lakshmi, reported that her 48-year-old mother-in-law Jayamma and her sister-in-law Shobha assaulted her so severely to have caused the miscarriage.

Police are awaiting the doctor’s report to take further action.

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A resident of 8th Cross, Ambedkar Nagar, Ullal Upanagara, Lakshmi’s husband Krishna, a construction labourer, died in a workplace accident in September 2022.

Following Krishna’s demise, Jayamma asked Lakshmi to leave her house in Tavarekere and come live with her. Days after Lakshmi began living with her, Jayamma began mistreating her.

Shobha, who lives nearby, would frequent Jayamma’s house and allegedly assaulted Lakshmi.

Divya, wife of Krishna’s brother who also lived in the neighbourhood, took Lakshmi to her house having learnt about the assaults.

Around 10 am on February 6, Divya and Lakshmi returned to Jayamma’s house. Jayamma thrashed Divya for taking Lakshmi to her house, while Lakshmi also copped a few blows trying to rescue Divya.

Lakshmi told the police that Jayamma bent her down and repeatedly spanked her back.

The day after the assault, Lakshmi rented a house in the vicinity of Kanteerava Studio and has been living alone since then. On February 13, she sought medical attention from doctors at Vani Vilas Hospital, who informed her that she had suffered a miscarriage.

“We have taken up a case under IPC Section 316 (causing death of the unborn child by an act amounting to culpable homicide) and 498 A (husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty) against Jayamma and Shobha.

“Once we get the doctor’s report, further action will be taken,” a senior police
officer said.