Acid attacker shot at by police in Bengaluru after attempt to flee
Bengaluru(PTI): An absconding accused in an acid attack case was allegedly shot at by a police team that was escorting him back to the city from neighbouring Tamil Nadu on Saturday, after he assaulted the head constable in a bid to escape.
When police permitted to relieve himself, Nagesh (34) allegedly attacked Mahadevaiah, attached to the Kamakshipalya police station, with an intention to flee at around 1:30 am, as they were nearing Kengeri here, police said.
After warning him several times, the police inspector opened fire and the bullet hit Nagesh on his right leg. Both the injured persons were rushed to a hospital.
Nagesh on the morning of April 28 had attacked a 25-year-old woman working in a gold finance firm with acid in front of her office, as she refused to accept his marriage proposal.
The victim is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital here and is said to be out of danger. The state government has decided to take care of her medical expenses.
Sharing details of Nagesh's arrest, Bengaluru Police Commissioner Kamal Pant said he was arrested on Friday night at Tiruvannamalai.
"He had gone to Tiruvannamalai on the same day of the crime, as he believed that people go there after committing crime or mistake for penance, and started living there wearing saffron clothes. He was not using mobile, laptop, electronic card or anything that reveals his identity," Pant told reporters here.
The Commissioner said unable to trace him the police decided to put up his posters at all the major temples in different parts of the country and those which he frequented.
Subsequently, they received a call sharing information about a person resembling the accused present there, and the informer shared his photo.
The police team that was in Tiruvannamalai tactfully made Nagesh reveal his identity and later took him into custody.
Pant said, "There is enough evidence regarding the case, we will soon file a charge sheet and request the court for a speedy trial."
With a confused mind after the incident, Nagesh had even planned to commit suicide by jumping into the lake near Hoskote, on the outskirts of the city, he added.
The Commissioner further said a case was registered at the Kamakshipalya police station here and senior police officials monitored the case on a daily basis and nabbed the accused in 16 days.
The accused and the victim resided in the same building 7 years ago, during which he had tried to make friends with her, but she had objected to it and her family had ensured that he moved out of the place.
According to the information available, the accused had a friend residing in the building with whom he had business dealings as well, and through him he used to get all the information about her.
"We have come to know from the investigation that he used to stalk her and on getting to know that preparations were on by the family to get the woman married, he became restless and desperate and had made a failed attempt to convince her family by meeting her uncle and aunt," Pant said.
Realising that the victim and her family wouldn't agree, he decided to attack her with acid and purchased it on April 20 from a lab by misusing the letterhead and email of a housekeeping company, where he had worked earlier, the commissioner said.
During investigation, it was also found that in 2020, the accused had purchased acid in a similar method, but did not use it then.
On April 27, Nagesh once again tried to meet the woman with a marriage proposal at her office, but she "bluntly rejected" it and her office manager also had warned him.
On April 28, he once again had gone to the woman's office and attacked her with acid and escaped from the spot.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
KSDL invites innovative technology to check sandalwood theft
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government has invited farmers, scientists and organisations to come up with innovative technologies to prevent sandalwood theft in the state.
The state-owned Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited (KSDL), which manufactures Mysuru Sandal Soap has also planned sandalwood cultivation, state Large and Medium Industries Minister M B Patil said on Thursday.
"In a bid to promote sandalwood cultivation, the KSDL has planned a major initiative. As part of it, farmers, scientists, and organisations possessing information on advanced equipment or innovative technologies to prevent sandalwood theft have been invited to approach KSDL and share the details," Patil said in a statement.
Those interested in this initiative will be given an opportunity to demonstrate such technologies before the organisation, the minister said, adding if the proposed solutions are found suitable and effective, steps will be taken for consideration and implementation.
Patil stated that the cost involved in deploying technologies aimed at preventing sandalwood theft would be borne by KSDL.
Further, with a view to encouraging sandalwood cultivation, four farmers who have supplied the highest quantity of sandalwood to KSDL will be honoured with awards on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar on June 4, he said.
On the same occasion, police personnel and forest officials who have made notable progress in apprehending sandalwood thieves and registering cases, along with members of the public who have provided credible information leading to such action, will also be recognised and rewarded, the minister added.
Patil observed that farmers cultivating sandalwood trees on their lands have been facing increasing threats due to theft in recent years. Illegal felling and theft of sandalwood trees have continued for decades.
Although stringent laws are in place to curb such activities, the number of cases resulting in convictions remains very low, he noted.
"In this context, it becomes the responsibility of the organisation to extend both legal and technical support to farmers and encourage them to take up sandalwood cultivation on a larger scale," he said.
According to him, over the past three years, KSDL has procured 174.5 metric tonne of sandalwood directly from farmers across the state and transferred Rs 6.08 crore to their respective accounts.
