B'luru acid attack accused contemplated suicide after ghastly act

Bengaluru police commissioner on Saturday informed that they will seek a speedy trial in the acid attack case while stating they have a “watertight” case with a lot of evidence and witness testimonies against the arrested accused.

Addressing reporters here Pant said that Nagesh had procured nine kg of sulphuric acid from a manufacturer in Peenya on April 20 stating that it was to be used for cleaning buildings. He had used the letterhead of a company where he was previously employed to place the order.

On April 28, Nagesh executed his plan and attacked the victim by pouring half-kilo sulphuric acid on her outside her workplace in Sunkadakatte.

Following this Nagesh contacted his brother and a friend saying that he would surrender in court but they told him to go to the police and he obliged. However, when he failed to get a lawyer he went absconding.

Nagesh abandoned his two-wheeler in the garment factory and took an auto to Hoskote. He allegedly thought of ending his life but then decided to pray seeking forgiveness for his sin. Thus he boarded a Malur-bound bus with intention of going to Tirupati but then he changed his mind and proceeded to Tiruvannamalai.

Over here he dressed as an ascetic and sought shelter at Ramana Ashram. He would spend the day at the ashram meditating and later at night he would sleep outside the ashram.

Nagesh meanwhile remained elusive to the cops as he did not use his phone or contact anyone and thus police had put out posters in Kannada, Tamil, Telugu and Hindi. Based on his family’s statement, the police had also put posters at Tirupati and Tiruvannamalai as well.

A tip-off came from a Tiruvannamalai resident who raised an alarm about the suspect being spotted in the ashram. Police deputed two cops to go to the ashram to check on him. On Friday when they reached the ashram, the cops found Babu meditating. They saw a burn injury on his hand and after confirming his identity they detained him.

Nagesh during interrogation told police that he was furious at the victim as she referred to him as Anna and that she was going to marry someone else. He threatened the acid attack on her but she told her family who in turn complained to his brother. Infuriated by this Nagesh carried out the acid attack. He even told that he would marry the victim if her family consent