An engineer, who was arrested for allegedly attempting to murder his wife and mother-in-law with a toy gun, was acquitted on Thursday.
According to prosecution, Geoffrey Paul (24), an engineer from Sattankulam in the district, was in love with a girl, an ME graduate from the same area, and married her a couple of years ago.
After giving birth to a boy 18 months ago, the girl did not enjoy good health and could not go for work. Before leaving for his workplace, Geoffrey used to drop the girl and their son in his in-laws house everyday.
When the girl could not join duty even after 18 months, Geoffrey started pestering her to go for work considering the economic condition of the family. However, ill health prevented her from joining duty again.
Agitated over this, Geoffrey shot her and her mother with a toy gun on October 3, 2014 and they sustained injuries as the pellets hit them. The Sattankulam police arrested him for attempting to murder his wife and mother-in-law.
When the case came up for hearing both the girl and her mother, while tendering witness, turned hostile, saying that they could not see the culprit involved in the attack as it was so dark in front of their house on that day.
Giving the benefit of doubt to Geoffrey, Mahalir Court Judge J. Flora acquitted him on Thursday.
