Leading Kannada film actor Darshan was arrested by the City Police in the early hours of Friday for allegedly beating up his wife Vijayalakshmi and threatening her with a revolver.
Ms. Vijayalakshmi, who suffered severe head injuries, is currently undergoing treatment at the Intensive Care unit of a private hospital in Vijaynagar.
The victim has filed a case against her husband under Sections 307 (Attempt to Murder) and 506 (Criminal intimidation) in the Vijayanagar police station. The police have seized Darshan’s licensed fire arm.
Darshan Toogudeepa, who is also the son of yesteryear actor Toogudeepa Srinivas, is a resident of Rajarajeshwari Nagar in the City. He had married Ms. Vijaylakshmi seven years ago after a couple of years of courtship. The couple have a three-year-old child.
The couple, according to sources close to Darshan’s family, was construed to be a happily married couple till recently. However, a conflict had arisen between the couple of late due to alleged ‘alcoholism’ of Darshan.
Due to the disharmony between the couple, Vijayalakshmi had left Darshan’s home recently with her child and was living in her parent’s house in Bapujinagar near Vijayanagar.
"After learning about his wife’s presence in her friend Vidya’s house on Thursday evening, Darshan went there and directed his wife to return to his residence in Rajarajeshwari Nagar. He took her in his vehicle and even as the driver went around different parts of the City, the couple broke out into a heated altercation, leading to severe assault by Darshan on his wife", said a police official.
The celebrated actor has been torturing his wife and child since a long time, the officer said, quoting the complaint. However, he added: “Exact reason for the assault is yet to be ascertained.”
