Newly wed man arrested for attacking wife with hammer over refusal to consummate

CHENNAI: The city police arrested a newlywed man on attempt to murder charges after he attacked his wife with a hammer two days after their wedding, allegedly irate over the woman's hesitancy to consummate the wedding.

The victim, a 24-year-old woman from Tiruttani, got married to the accused, Augustine Joshua of Purasaiwalkam, on November 23. On Tuesday night, the couple had an argument after the woman asked for time to get to know him better before starting their physical relationship.

Enraged over this, Joshua allegedly assaulted her with a hammer and locked her inside a room. The woman contacted her family over the phone. Her family members rushed to her marital home, rescued her, and got her admitted to a hospital. On information from the hospital, Vepery police questioned the injured woman, and later registered a case and arrested Joshua. He was produced before a magistrate court and remanded in judicial custody.