Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Aug 22: A 48-year-old woman street vendor, identified as Shalini, allegedly attempted suicide on Friday, August 22 after facing harassment from a group of men who demanded that she vacate her flower shop near Bondel Circle.

According to the complaint filed at Kavoor police station, Shalini had been running a flower stall in Bondel for nearly 13 years. On Wednesday around 12.30 pm, four men identified as Srinivas Krishnanagar, Pushparaj, Kiran Krishnanagar and Santosh allegedly confronted her near the shop. They accused her of obstructing autorickshaw parking, abused her in foul language, and threatened to kill her if she did not vacate the place.

Depressed over the threats and worried about her livelihood, Shalini reportedly consumed rat poison at her home around 7 am on Friday. She was immediately rushed to A J Hospital by her husband Yashodhar, where doctors admitted her to the MICU for treatment.

Police sources said a case has been registered under IPC sections 352, 351(2), 126(2) along with section 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, at Kavoor police station.

Earlier, sources had indicated that Shalini had also faced pressure from autorickshaw drivers’ association members and political interference despite no official permission being granted for an auto stand at the spot.