Woman alleges harassment by sister-in-law, kills son and ends life

BENGALURU: Unable to bear the alleged harassment by her younger brother’s wife, a woman hanged her 13-year-old son and then hanged herself at their house at Hosaguddadahalli in Byatarayanapura police limits on Wednesday. The duo has been identified as Lakshmamma (48) and her son Madan (13).

Police at the scene.

Lakshmamma’s husband Shivaline Gowda runs a hotel at Gandhi Nagar and the couple had two children, Prasad and Madan. Lakshmamma’s brother Sidde Gowda too lived with them and he was married to Ranjitha about six years ago.

Ranjitha and Sidde Gowda

Alleging that she had been married to a dullard, Ranjitha started creating a ruckus and even filed a dowry harassment case against Shivalinge Gowda, Lakshmamma, Sidde Gowda and others.

Grieving relatives at the house.

In an audio message left behind before her death, Lakshmamma said that she was ending her life hoping that her brother’s troubles will end and insisted that her husband, her older son and her brother should perform her last rites. She also claimed that injustice had been meted out to her brother and that he should be released from jail. She also insisted that Ranjitha and her mother should not be spared.

Shivalinge Gowda and Lakshmamma’s house in Hosaguddadahalli.

Sidde Gowda was recently jailed in the dowry harassment case. The other members of the family had to routinely attend court hearings and Lakshmamma was learnt to have been upset with the developments.

The victims Lakshmamma and her son Madan.

“We received the information around 2.15 pm about the incident in Byatarayanapura police limits. It was reported that Laxmamma and her son Madan were found hanging from the window at their house at Hosaguddadahalli,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Lakshman B Nimbaragi. The bodies were shifted to Victoria hospital for autopsy, he added.