Karnataka man chops off Belagavi Anganwadi teacher's nose over plucked flowers in freak attack

04 Jan 2024, 03:31 by Livemint · Mint Business News - Official Channel · Join

A man allegedly severed an Anganwadi teacher's nose in a fit of rage over flowers plucked from his garden by her students, the Hindustan Times reported. Police have identified the accused as 50-year-old Kalyani More.

The teacher, Sugandha More is undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Belagavi. She underwent a blood transfusion and is reported to be out of immediate danger. Surgeons attending to her suggested the possibility of reconstructing her nose if the missing part is found.

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The Anganwadi where the incident happened is situated in a rented block owned by the accused in Basurte village. It has been operated by the Women and Child Development Department over the past 20 years.

What happened?

The teacher had taken students to visit the garden during break time on January 2, where some of the children plucked out a few flowers. Enraged by this, the accused chased away the children with a sickle in hand and picked a fight with Sugandha More. He subsequently attacked her with the tool and chopped off her nose.

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Profusely bleeding, Sugandha was rushed to a private hospital in Belagavi and given a blood transfusion. The accused has been arrested, Police Commissioner Siddaramappa confirmed. He was apprehended by Kakati police while on the run after the attack, the report added.

The Aftermath

Lakshmi Hebbalkar, Minister for Women and Child Development, condemned the attack and assured support in the form of a job and assistance from the department for the victim and family.

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The assault prompted a strong response from the community, with hundreds of Anganwadi teachers and helpers staging protests in taluk headquarters. The Belagavi Taluk Anganwadi Teachers’ and Helpers’ Association demanded strict action against the accused and called for increased security measures for their protection. They also urged the government to cover the victim's medical expenses and ensure job regularization.

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Karnataka man chops off Belagavi Anganwadi teacher's nose over plucked flowers in freak attack

What happened?

The Aftermath

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