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In a chilling episode that has shaken communities and raised disturbing questions about where society is headed, a man in Bhagalpur, Bihar brutally attacked his wife with acid amid a domestic dispute and then ended his own life in a horrific aftermath. The violent incident has ignited public outrage and intense worry over escalating domestic violence and the shocking extremities people are willing to go to in moments of conflict.
The horrifying episode unfolded in the Ranitallab area of Bhagalpur’s Industrial Region, where a long-standing feud between the couple erupted into a nightmarish reality. According to preliminary accounts, 55-year-old Dulal Poddar returned from Delhi on New Year’s Eve, hoping to reunite with his family. However, old tensions allegedly resurfaced soon after his arrival, leading to a severe altercation with his wife, Poonam Devi, who is reported to run a local school.
In a shocking attempt to harm her, Poddar allegedly forcefully poured corrosive acid on his wife’s body and compelled her to drink the substance, leaving her critically injured and in a serious medical condition. Immediately after the brutal assault, he locked himself inside a room and ingested acid as well, in what appears to be a desperate and tragic act of self-destruction. Hours later, law enforcement found his life had slipped away in agonizing circumstances, while his wife continued to receive intensive care in hospital.
The couple’s young son, overwhelmed by fear and confusion, fled with local children to a relative’s home during the chaos, later returning only to discover the grim reality his parents had faced. His chilling reaction fearing his father might also harm other children reflects the deep psychological trauma such violence inflicts on families and communities.
This latest incident is not an isolated case. Across Bihar and other regions, acid and domestic attack cases have repeatedly surfaced, leaving victims scarred physically and emotionally. These attacks are meant not only to injure but to terrorize and permanently disfigure a pattern that civil society activists and legal experts describe as indicative of deeper societal failures to address gender-based violence and mental health crises.
Acid attacks represent one of the most heinous forms of assault, designed to maim rather than merely injure, and the law treats them with maximum severity. Yet, despite legal protections, enforcement gaps, societal stigma, and inadequate preventive measures often leave victims vulnerable and justice slow to follow.
The Bhagalpur tragedy, especially given the husband’s subsequent suicide attempt, has left many asking a painful question: Where are we heading as a society when domestic disagreements spiral into grotesque violence and irreversible loss? The incident underscores an urgent need for more effective mental health interventions, stronger community support systems, and stricter measures to prevent domestic abuse before it turns fatal.
As authorities continue their investigation and the victim battles for her life, this harrowing event serves as a stark wake-up call demanding not just headlines but real action to protect vulnerable individuals and stop the cycle of violent retaliation within families.
