BENGALURU: In a rare case, the Karnataka HC refused to quash criminal proceedings against a man from Tumakuru district for allegedly sexually harassing, stalking and abetting the suicide of a woman, by forcing her to reciprocate his feelings and marry him despite her unwillingness, and also halting her marriage alliance by calling up prospective grooms.
“The petitioner is said to have pressured the victim to marry him or forcibly fall in love with him, and stopped her from marriage by making calls to men who wanted to marry the complainant’s daughter. ,” observed Justice M Nagaprasanna, rejecting the petition filed by Naveen G (33), from Bettadahalli in Gubbi taluk of Tumakuru district.
The complainant’s 22-year-old daughter was pursuing nursing in Mysuru when she came into contact with the accused. He repeatedly insisted that she meet him at places he chose, and persuaded her to accompany him to Dharmasthala and other places, where he had them photographed together.
The victim had made her disinclination clear, but he would not relent. He is said to have followed her to her workplace and threatened that if she did not yield to his demands, the photographs would be circulated. Unable to tolerate the torment, she consumed tablets with the intention of ending her life on July 5, 2025. However, she survived. Her family intervened and lodged a complaint with the jurisdictional police which was withdrawn.
However, the accused returned to his old ways. Whenever matrimonial negotiations commenced, he is said to have entered the scene and proclaimed before the prospective groom that he was in a relationship with her. One such proposal allegedly collapsed after the accused called the groom and made such claims.
On July 29, 2025, she was found hanging from the ceiling fan in her room in Nelamangala police station limits. Police later filed a chargesheet against the accused. The court observed that the life of a young woman had come to an abrupt end. The prosecution alleged that there was a sustained trail of pursuit, coercion, intimidation and interference with her freedom to choose her own life.