BANGALORE: Kannada cine actor Darshan was arrested by Vijayanagar police in the wee hours of Friday, following a complaint filed by his wife Vijayalakshmi alleging him of assaulting and threatening her of life with a loaded pistol. Later, the actor was remanded in judicial custody for 14 days after producing him before the magistrate of the First Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate court.
The police have seized the actor’s licenced pistol and have booked him under sections 307 (attempt to murder), 498A (husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty) of the Indian Penal Code. The couple was in love since the days Darshan was acting in teleserials and had married about eight years ago.
According to the police, the couple had a marital discord since a few months and upset over this, Darshan’s wife Vijayalakshmi, an engineering graduate, had deserted him a few days back and was staying with her mother Sumathi at Muneshwara Layout near Vijayanagar. Also, she had taken her four-year-old-son Vinish along with her.
On Thursday, she had gone to her friend Vidya’s residence at Bapuji Layout. The actor who got to know about the whereabouts of his wife, went to Vidya’s house from where he forcibly took his wife and son along with him. “He allegedly took them near Jnanabharathi campus at around 4.30 pm. For more than two hours he allegedly assaulted his wife inside his customised car. He also allegedly took out his licenced pistol that was loaded and threatened to kill her. She was injured on her limbs and head in the incident and the actor assaulted her with cigarette butt. He had also bitten her on a few places. It is alleged that the actor was in inebriated condition when he carried out the violence on his wife,” the police said.
Later, the actor took his wife back to Vidya’s house and left. Vidya’s father Nagaraj, a contractor, contacted veteran actor Ambarish to arrange a compromise between the couple. A meeting was held in the presence of Ambarish, director Prem and his actress wife Rakshitha, who reside opposite to Nagaraj’s house. But Darshan, was not ready to compromise and behaved rudely in the meeting, sources said.
“After that Vijayalakshmi called the police control room and informed about the incident. Later, she was admitted to hospital by the police and a case was registered. Based on that the actor was secured and was taken to Victoria Hospital, where he was subjected to medical test to confirm the degree of intoxication,” DCP Siddaramappa said.
Following the incident, state women commission’s chairperson C Manjula said, “Vijayalakshmi has been assaulted four times in the last four months. She has not disclosed the reason behind the tiff.”
Efforts to save marriage: Ambarish
Speaking to reporters after visiting Vijayalakshmi at the hospital, the veteran actor said that it was a small misunderstanding and Vijayalakshmi had accepted to withdraw the case. However, it is said that Vijayalakshmi told Ambarish that she was ready for compromise only if she is guaranteed of few things. “She requested Ambarish to make sure that Darshan clear all her doubts about a few things that had led to their misunderstanding. Also she said that she would go back to Darshan only if he assures her of not assaulting her not using the pistol and quit alcohol,” a source said.
After the news of Darshan’s arrest was spread, some of his fans damaged a BMTC bus in front of Vijayanagar police station. They pelted stones on the bus shattering its rear glass. Meanwhile, the police resorted to cane charge to disperse the people who had gathered in front of Gayatri Hospital, where Vijayalakshmi was admitted.
Darshan’s wife out of danger
Meanwhile, Darshan’s wife Vijaylakshmi, who was assaulted by her husband on Thursday has sustained multiple injuries. She has been admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of Gayathri Hospital at Vijayanagar here. She was brought to the hospital around 1:30 am on Thursday midnight. According to hospital chief medical officer Dr Zaini, Vijayalakshmi has suffered multiple fractures in her fingers and injuries on the limb and head, and needed stitches for a serious injury behind her ear and head.
The doctor treating her also maintained that there were cigarette butt burn marks all over her body. However, she was soon reported to be out of danger and on Friday evening was discharged from the hospital.
Rumours to be blamed?
Rumour mills have been working overtime for the last one-year over the alleged affair between Challenging Star Darshan and actress Nikita Thukral. It was alleged that Nikita and Darshan have married secretly and the latter even bought an apartment for the actress.
Nikita had acted with Darshan in films such as ‘Yodha’, ‘Prince’ and ‘Sangolli Rayanna’.