KANYAKUMARI: A 29-year-old man poured acid on a widow for refusing to marry him and committed suicide at Eattracodu in Kanyakumari district on Thursday night.Police said John Rose, a labourer, had been compelling M Girija, 36, to marry him. Girija's husband Manikandan died nine years ago, following which she has been raising their two daughters. She worked in a tailoring unit, police said.In April last, Girija lodged a complaint with the Thiruvattar police as she could not bear his harassment. Police registered a case against Rose under sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Tamil Nadu Prevention of Women Harassment Act and conducted inquiries. However, his harassment continued.On Thursday night, the man waylaid her when she was returning home from the tailoring unit. He picked up a quarrel with her and poured acid on her. He had been carrying acid in a bottle, police said.Neighbours rushed her to a private hospital from where she was referred to the Kanyakumari Government Medical College Hospital.Doctors said that Girija suffered more than 40% burn injuries on her face, chest, stomach, back and legs.Based on an oral complaint lodged by the victim, police booked John under Sections 307 (punishment for attempt to murder), 326 (a) (punishment for throwing acid), 341 (punishment for wrongful confinement), 294(b) (using abusive language) and 506(ii) (criminal intimidation) of the IPC and launched a search for him.Meanwhile, Rose consumed poison in the early hours of Friday. His relatives admitted him in a to private hospital, where he died without responding to treatment.Police said the case against Rose will be closed as per procedure as he is no more.

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