BENGALURU: Employees of Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) were in for a shock on Monday when a colleague pulled out a machete and attacked another employee in the office. In the course of the assault, the attacker also injured another colleague. The incident occurred an hour after everyone showed up at work at 10am. The accused, Nataraj, a senior assistant at the Commission, was arrested by Vidhana Soudha police.
The victims were Jayalakshmi, another senior assistant, and Ramu, second division assistant.
Police said the incident occurred at 11.20am. Nataraj, who is separated from his wife, was repeatedly asking Jayalakshmi to marry him. Jayalakshmi, who is already married and has a child, was not interested in his advances. Irked, Nataraj picked an argument with Jayalakshmi in the office before taking out a machete and hitting her on the right side of her head. Ramu was also attacked in the melee.
Jayalakshmi is in a critical condition as a portion of skin from her face was slit in the attack. Both the injured were rushed to Mallige Hospital near Race Course Road after the police was alerted. Ramu, who sustained injuries on his hand, told The New Indian Express, “I had an argument with Nataraj over a trivial issue around one year ago and we were not on talking terms. I noticed that he had come to the office with a machete wrapped in a newspaper. I tried to escape but he hit me twice.”
In his statement to the police, Nataraj said that Ramu had been spreading rumours about his relationship with Jayalakshmi.A senior police officer said there were no security measures in place at the offices, including CCTV camera coverage. The private agency had no scanning system either. Soon after the incident came to light, senior officials, including KPSC chairman, held a meeting to implement necessary safety measures.
Police are yet to receive a complaint from the department while Ramu’s statement has been recorded. Nataraj is a resident of SBM Colony in Banashankari while Ramu of TR Mill in Chamarajpet and Jayalakshmi of MS Palya.