Woman who swam 2 kms in pregnancy after being pushed into river by lover wins legal battle

Mangaluru, Jul 17: Nearly two years after she swam for two kilometres after being pushed into Kumaradhara river by her boyfriend when she was six month old pregnant, a brave woman from Belthangady has won a legal battle against him.

The 6th additional district and sessions judge D T Puttarangaswamy on Saturday found labourer Anand, 25, guilty of charges of attempting to murder the victim of his love. The quantum on punishment is expected to be announced on Monday.

According to a chargsheet filed by the Belthangady police, Anand was living in the house of his 20-year-old female friend in Belthangady after he was abandoned by parents. After becoming close, he proposed to her and had a physical relationship with her on March 2, 2014, when she was alone. When she became pregnant, she insisted Anand marry her.

On September 8, 2014, Anand called the girl and asked her to come to Subrahmanya so that she could get the child aborted. She left for Uppinangady from where they went on his motorcycle to Subrahmanya.

Faking a mechanical problem, Anand stopped the motorcycle midway on the bridge across the Kumaradhara river at Kadaba. When she was looking at the river which was in full flow, Anand walked up from behind and pushed her into the water.

The six-month pregnant woman managed to negotiate the flowing river for nearly 2km and held on to a tree. The next morning two fishermen on a coracle saw the woman and brought her to the shore. She was admitted to the Puttur Government hospital where she filed a complaint against Anand, who was arrested on September 10.

Though she initially stood by the allegations in the complaint, the girl, who had now delivered the baby, told in her evidence to the court that the physical relationship was consensual. Prosecutor Judith O.M. Crasta examined 23 witnesses, including the two fishermen. While acquitting Anand of the charge of sexual harassment, Judge Puttarangaswamy on Saturday convicted him on the charge of attempt to murder.