Family of four attempt suicide in Bangalore, alleges harassment over property dispute

Allege retired police official’s interference in property dispute in Tumkur

June 20, 2013 10:16 am | Updated 10:16 am IST - Bangalore:

FRUSTRATED: Mahesh (in picture) and Dakshayini say the property dispute was outside the ACP’s jurisdiction.

FRUSTRATED: Mahesh (in picture) and Dakshayini say the property dispute was outside the ACP’s jurisdiction.

A couple along with their two children, who were allegedly harassed by a senior police officer, attempted suicide on the State police headquarters’ premises on Nrupatunga Road on Wednesday to force senior officials’ attention to their plight.

The four were rushed to St. Martha’s Hospital nearby, where they were declared to be out of danger.

According to the police, Dakshayini (32) and her husband Mahesh K. (38), along with their children Vidya (17) and Chandan (11), consumed pesticide before approaching the helpdesk at the entrance of the police headquarters. The victims collapsed before the security staff and informed them they had consumed poison.

Prior to that, the family held a press conference at the Press Club where Ms. Dakshayini complained about alleged harassment by a recently retired police official over a property dispute. She said when they went to the police headquarters to submit a petition seeking help, they were told to “hang themselves” by the very same officer, former Assistant Commissioner of Police Subbanna H.

She accused Mr. Subbanna of harassing her family by interfering in a dispute between them and her two brothers over property worth Rs. 20 crore in Tumkur.

Though the dispute is outside his jurisdiction (he was with Madivala division), Ms. Dakshayini alleged that the retired policeman helped her brothers take over the property. The couple had earlier brought the matter to the notice of Governor H.R. Bhardwaj and then Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, seeking permission to end their lives owing to the alleged harassment. The family had even staged a protest before the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast division) seeking help.

Ms. Dakshayini complained that her husband Mahesh had invested Rs. 45 lakh in a real estate venture started by her brothers Somashekar and Kantha Raju in Tumkur in 2005–06. After a while, the brothers took possession of all the property documents and refused to share the property bought with Mr. Mahesh’s money. With the help of Mr. Subbanna, who was a police inspector in Tumkur then, they allegedly took over the property belonging to Mr. Mahesh, leaving the family in the lurch.

Assistant Commissioner of Police B.N. Nyame Gowda said all the four had consumed 100 ml pesticide. They were immediately rushed to hospital by the two sentries, Palaksha and Narasimhamurthy.

“Based on their statement, we have taken up a case against Mr. Subbanna and initiated an enquiry. We have also booked a case of attempt to suicide against the couple,” Mr. Nyame Gowda said.

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