Wife beat up man for asking for more chapatis

Asking for more chapatis from his wife for dinner proved to be a costly affair for a fireman in Sabarmati, Gujarat, India. He had to forgo his evening meal and sustained injuries in a scuffle with his wife, a complaint at Sabarmati police station states. Apparently, the infuriated woman had used a stone to hit her 40- year-old husband on his forehead, leaving him in a trail of blood. She even allegedly threatened to kill him and their two sons before locking them up. According to neighbours, the man was rescued by police. A Sabarmati police source said, "Mahendra Mali Marathi works as a fireman and stays at the staff quarters above the Sabarmati fire station.



"He returned home after duty at around 10pm on October 6. Tired and hungry, he sat down for dinner. But the two small chapatis in his plate made Marathi furious." When he demanded more, his wife Ujjwala asked him to cook for himself, the source said. When he persisted, she flared up. Picking up a stone lying in the flower pot, she allegedly hit her husband on his forehead. Eyewitnesses said that in a fit of rage, the 38-year-old woman broke window panes and a clock. She then walked out after locking Marathi and their 14-year-old and 10-year-old sons.

Onlookers who had gathered called police who broke open the door to rescue Marathi and his children. Women officers had to be called in to bring Ujjwala under control. The bleeding man was rushed to a private hospital nearby. He received five stitches on his forehead. Marathi said: "She had served two small chapatis, while I usually eat four big chapatis. When I asked for more, she hit me with a stone. I have filed a police complaint." Sabarmati Police Sub Inspector U J Joshi said, "Marathi and his wife had a scuffle over rotis, after which she hit him with a stone and even threatened to kill him and their sons. We have lodged a complaint."



Ujjwala thereafter moved to her brother's house. Backing her sister, Santosh Mali (28), said: "A false case has been foisted on my sister. Two months ago we had gone to file a complaint of domestic violence with Odhav police, but after Marathi promised not to beat up my sister again we arrived at a compromise." Regarding the October 6 incident, Mali said, "Ujjwala was asleep when my brother-in-law came from work and woke her up by pulling her hair. Whatever she did was in self-defence. She then ran out of the house after bolting the door from outside. When Marathi was in hospital with the children, my sister locked herself up in the house and called me up to take her away." Mali said they are planning to lodge a complaint soon.