An angry and frustrated 50-year-old man lay in wait for three days before throwing a bottle of acid on his estranged wife on Saturday morning at Dubasipalya near RV College of Engineering. The victim, Gowramma (37), was rushed to a private hospital by passersby. The doctors said Gowramma has sustained 20 per cent burns on her face, hands, chest, head and back. The Kengeri police managed to arrest Kumar (50), a painter, a few hours after the attack.
The couple separated four years ago after Kumar started suspecting his wife’s fidelity and harassed her after getting drunk. He pestered Gowramma, who was working as a housemaid, for money and also pawned household articles to satiate his drinking habit. They were earlier staying in Devegere near Kumbalgod, but unable to bear the harassment Gowramma left home with her sons and lived in a rented house in Sun City. Kumar traced her down and stayed with her, but continued to harass her, the police said.
She had sent her three sons to an ashram as she was unable to look after them. She had joined a garment factory as a helper and was staying with her colleague at Muthurayanapura. On Saturday morning, Kumar allegedly went near the garment factory and pleaded with Gowramma to get back with him. Kumar told her that he wanted to pay an advance for a houses and she should accompany him.
After going some distance, Kumar threw a bottle of acid on her and escaped. Few passersby who found Gowramma screaming for help took her to the Shreya Hospital in Kengeri. Gowramma told the police that she saw her husband near the factory since Wednesday, but managed to sneak past him. On Saturday she had gone to the factory 30 minutes early and her husband managed to block her near the factory. The doctors said she would be discharged after two to three days.