Sarasvathi K, a 40-year-old mother of two, allegedly killed herself following a dispute with her neighbours over water shortage. Her husband, Nagaraja A V, works as an assistant cameraman in the Kannada film industry.
According to reports, the neighbours beat and verbally abused Sarasvathi in front of several people in Srinivasapura, Kogilu Main Road, North Bengaluru. Sarasvathi was an active BJP worker and had participated in the election campaign.
The incident occurred on April 21 around 5.15 pm. Nagaraja told the Yelahanka police that he was returning from Dharwad after finishing a film shoot when his wife called him around 3.30 pm. She told him that their first-floor neighbours, Srinivas and Bhavani, had fought with her over pumping corporation water.
Nagaraja said that the couple had been fighting with them and other residents of the apartment complex over the water issue. They were pumping all the water to their house without leaving anything for the others.
“We had reported the incident to the police earlier. Recently, we had a meeting and decided that everyone should pump water equally. However, the couple did not allow Sarasvathi to pump water. She informed me that the couple had manhandled and abused her,” he said.
“I told her not to fight with them and that I would call the police control room. I asked her to stay at home until the police arrived. However, the couple again fought with my wife and beat her. I called 112 and complained. After some time, one of my neighbours called me and asked me to come home immediately as there was an emergency. I reached home only after 7.30 pm to learn that Sarasvathi had hanged herself after sending my daughter out of the house.”
The neighbour had broken open the door to save her, but she was declared dead on arrival at the hospital. The body was kept in the Yelahanka government hospital mortuary.
Nagaraja alleged that for the first time, another neighbour, Shilpa, had also joined hands with the couple. A senior officer said, “We have taken up the case under IPC Section 306 (abetment to suicide) against the trio.”