An incident of domestic violence turned deadly in the Bengaluru Rural district of Karnataka – a 26-year-old woman was allegedly murdered by her second husband after an argument broke out in their home in Gangondanahalli near Nelamangala.
Appu, the accused husband, is arrested by the police who were involved in the brutal slaying. The deceased woman was Manjula, who operated a beauty parlour to survive. The incident unfolded in their home, police reported, after an argument had turned into a confrontation between the couple.
Investigators found out Manjula was married to Siddesh, a man, nearly five years earlier. But, at that time, she probably met Appu, who, in return, fell in love with her. Likewise, Appu had parted ways with his first wife. They got divorced from their respective spouses and married each other forever so they could start over, fully.
The couple had apparently been living peacefully together for some time, and also had a three-year-old son. But in recent months, it was reported that the pair consistently disagreed and had been caught in misunderstandings and argued over many things that put a strain on their relationship for quite some time.
Within the last several days, small domestic clashes have gone on to involve serious quarrels, police sources said. Manjula reportedly told Appu on the day of the incident that she was leaving him and moving out. She reportedly gathered up her clothes and other belongings, officials told reports and got ready to go after another dispute between the two.
Appu appeared to lose his patience and used a machete-like weapon in the house to assault Manjula, according to the reports. Neighbours and locals who heard the turmoil rushed to the area and found Manjula lying there in a bloody mess. She was immediately moved to a nearby hospital for an emergency.
But injuries prevented doctors from saving her, and she succumbed to treatment. He escaped the scene and, after committing the crime, went into hiding. The Madanayakanahalli Police conducted a rapid search, found Appu, and arrested him soon after. He is currently being held for later interrogation.
In addition to conducting a spot mahazar, law enforcement also collected evidence from the crime scene as part of its investigation. After a postmortem examination at Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru, Manjula's body was sent to her family members. A murder case was filed with Madanayakanahalli Police Station.
The present case is pending to find out how exactly the fatal attack occurred. This episode has already made clear the increasing tide of abuse in relationships and crimes in these areas, with one important aspect being relationships. Local people also told reporters that they were taken aback by the brutal nature of the murder, especially in the case of a couple who had remarried after a series of bad experiences in their former relationships.
And social activists and women’s rights groups have also repeatedly echoed an argument for better emotional support networks, guidance and intervention around cases where domestic strife does happen repeatedly. Some believe that the chronic unresolved rage and growing family violence are implicated in a greater proportion of violent offending in urban and semi-urban areas.
Though such a tragic death of Manjula has further traumatised her family while remaining with them as the investigation continues, family members are concerned for their family's safety and emotional vulnerability within difficult couple relationships.
