Young woman dies after suicide bid; stalker held

Villupuram (TN), Sep 9 (PTI) A 21-year-old nurse died at ahospital here, more than a week after she allegedly attemptedsuicide upset over being stalked and assaulted by a youth,police said today. Pusphpalatha, who was battling for life, died last night atthe government medical college hospital here. "Respiratory failure was one of the complications thatoccurred due to her hanging attempt. She was put onventilator. However, it did not help and despite our bestefforts she died last night," Dr P Vinoth Kumar, AssistantResident Medical Officer, Government Medical College Hospitalsaid. Pusphpalatha, a resident of a village off Virudhachalamnear here, attempted suicide by hanging herself in her houseon August 31. She was rescued by her family and admitted tothe government hospital here after initial treatment locally. She had taken the extreme step after 22-year-oldDhanasekaran of the same locality had allegedly assaulted andshouted at her profanely as she had turned down his proposalto marry him. The man, who had stalked her for months and allegedlypestered her to marry him, was arrested today under variousIPC sections and Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of WomenAct and produced before a local court which remanded him tojudicial custody, a police official said. This is the latest in a series of incidents of fallout ofone-sided love such as the brutal murder of IT professionalSwathi in Chennai and an engineering student in Karur districtin the state. PTI VGN VSRCJ