Bengaluru: Man Arrested for Attempting to Burn Woman Alive After She Opposed His Marriage to Her Daughter

Basaveshwara Nagar police arrested a man from Tamil Nadu for allegedly attempting to burn a woman alive after she refused to allow him to marry her daughter. The victim suffered around 50 per cent burn injuries and is critical.

The Basaveshwara Nagar police have arrested a man from Tamil Nadu in connection with a brutal attempt to murder a woman by setting her on fire after she refused to allow him to marry her daughter. The accused allegedly poured petrol on the victim and set her ablaze, leaving her with severe burn injuries. The incident has shocked local residents and raised serious concerns about crimes arising from harassment and coercion.

The accused has been identified as Muthu Abhimanyu.

Background of the Incident

The horrifying incident occurred around midnight last Tuesday in Saneguruvanahalli, under the jurisdiction of the Basaveshwara Nagar police station. The victim, Geetha, lived with her 19-year-old daughter and ran a small provision store to support her family.

Geetha was acquainted with Muthu Abhimanyu, who operated a tea shop in the same locality. Over time, the acquaintance deepened, and the accused had reportedly been staying at their residence for the past four years.

Persistent Harassment Over Marriage

According to the police, Muthu, who was on friendly terms with the family, began pressuring Geetha to marry her daughter to him. She repeatedly deferred the proposal, stating that her daughter was too young for marriage.

More recently, he allegedly renewed his pressure, insisting that the girl had reached the legal age for marriage and demanding that Geetha agree to the alliance. When Geetha inquired about his conduct among his friends, she reportedly learned that his behaviour was questionable. As a result, she firmly rejected the proposal, stating that she would not marry her daughter to him.

Attack After Rejection

Enraged by her refusal, Muthu allegedly believed that Geetha was deliberately preventing the marriage despite her daughter being of marriageable age. Police said he then plotted to eliminate her.

Acting on this intent, he allegedly poured petrol on Geetha at her home around 1 am last Tuesday and set her on fire. She sustained approximately 50 per cent burn injuries and is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital, where her condition remains critical.

Accused Arrested in Tamil Nadu

Following the incident, the accused fled Bengaluru and went into hiding. The police launched a search operation and tracked his movements using technical evidence. He was arrested in Tamil Nadu on December 29, police said.

A case of attempted murder has been registered at the Basaveshwara Nagar police station, and further investigation is under way.