Man attacks wife with machete, suspected acid in Bengaluru’s J.P. Nagar

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A 26-year-old woman was allegedly attacked with a machete and had a suspected acidic substance poured on her by her husband near a private hospital in J.P. Nagar in south Bengaluru on Thursday.

The incident occurred around 9.15 a.m. when the victim, Madhumita, stepped out of the hospital where she worked to have breakfast. The accused, identified as Venkatesan, allegedly attacked her with a machete and then poured a liquid believed to be acid on her before attempting to flee.

The attack, which took place near the basement parking area of the hospital, was captured on mobile phones by onlookers.

Though bystanders tried to catch him, Venkatesan fled for some distance before a Bengaluru Traffic Police sub-inspector intercepted and detained him. He was later handed over to the J.P. Nagar police.

Preliminary investigations revealed that Venkatesan, a native of Tamil Nadu, married Madhumita, who hails from West Bengal, about three years ago in Madurai. However, the couple had been living separately for the past year following marital discord. While Venkatesan, who had been working in Bengaluru, recently moved to Tamil Nadu after taking up a new job, Madhumita continued to work at the private hospital and stayed in a paying guest accommodation in south Bengaluru.

According to the police, Venkatesan arrived in the city on his motorcycle on Wednesday night and waited near the hospital for Madhumita before attacking her on Thursday morning. Madhumita is in a critical condition and is undergoing treatment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

A senior police officer said preliminary investigations indicated that the liquid poured on Madhumita had acidic properties. However, Scene of Crime officers have collected samples and sent them to the Forensic Science Laboratory to determine whether it was industrial acid or a floor-cleaning agent. Based on the report, the police will trace its source, the officer said.

The police suspect the attack stemmed from a marital dispute but are yet to ascertain the exact motive. The J.P. Nagar police have registered an FIR under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and launched an investigation.

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