In a shocking development from Attibele in south Bengaluru, a young mother made a chilling accusation from her hospital bed just hours before her tragic death. Vidya A, a resident of Tilaknagar and mother of a four-year-old boy, claimed her husband had been slowly poisoning her by injecting mercury into her body.
Deathbed Statement Becomes Investigation Cornerstone
Vidya's pre-death statement, recorded by Attibele police from her hospital bed at Victoria Hospital on Sunday, has now become the central focus of the investigation. The 27-year-old woman passed away by Monday morning, transforming what began as an attempt-to-murder case into a potential dowry death investigation.
Bengaluru Rural SP CK Baba confirmed that police are now treating this as a dowry death case, citing the harassment Vidya reportedly endured from her husband and in-laws. The case was initially registered on November 23 under Section 109 of the BNS as an attempt-to-murder case.
The Chilling Sequence of Events
According to Vidya's complaint to police, she first suspected something was wrong on the night of February 26. In a video recording made for police evidence, she described how her businessman husband Basavaraju showed unusual affection that night, which she found surprising. She lost consciousness shortly afterward.
"I woke up on the evening of February 27 and found that something had been injected into my right thigh," Vidya stated in her recorded testimony. Unable to bear the pain that developed, she visited Attibele government hospital on March 7, where doctors referred her to Oxford Hospital for further treatment.
Medical Nightmare Unfolds
After undergoing multiple tests at Oxford Hospital, doctors made a horrifying discovery - mercury was present in her body. Vidya spent one-and-a-half months as an inpatient there before being transferred to Victoria Hospital for more specialized care.
Medical professionals informed her that the mercury had spread throughout her body, weakening her organs and causing significant damage to her kidneys. The poisoning necessitated regular dialysis treatments as her body struggled to cope with the toxic substance.
In her final statements, Vidya revealed the emotional torment she endured alongside the physical suffering. "My husband and father-in-law tortured me, calling me a mad woman," she stated. "With the intention to murder, they injected mercury into my right thigh."
Investigation Progress and Evidence Collection
Police officials have sent viscera samples to the forensic science laboratory to confirm the presence of mercury in Vidya's body. While an autopsy has been completed, the official cause of death remains undetermined pending the forensic report.
"We have sent viscera samples to the forensic science laboratory to test for the presence of mercury in the deceased's body," a police official confirmed. "Based on the FSL report and the opinion of the doctor who conducted the postmortem, we will continue the investigation."
Authorities also plan to record statements from Vidya's parents, who reside in Attibele, as part of their expanded investigation into the dowry death allegations. The case continues to develop as forensic evidence is analyzed and additional testimony is gathered.
