Stabbed, abandoned by hubby, woman fights for maintenance

CHENNAI: Her closely cropped hair hides the marks made by a knife. It has been two years since her husband abandoned her after attacking her with a knife. But, for 32-year-old S Varalakshmi, the wounds are still fresh in memory.
Unable to earn a livelihood and look after her two children, she has now approached the family court here seeking maintenance from her estranged husband.
"My husband and I were married for nine years ago. We started living separately in between, but patched up on the intervention of family elders. Two years ago, he came home and while I was eating, he stabbed me on my head, back and arms. He ran away when the neighbours came in after hearing my cries," she recalled.
From their house in Siruvanchur village, 10km from Kattankulathur, neighours rushed her to the Chengalpet government hospital, where she was in the ICU for five days. "I was not supposed to survive. I am lucky to be here today," she said. Varalakshmi has a seven-year-old son and a five-year-old daughter.
"We are surviving on my father's pension of 2,000. My husband is employed with the Metropolitan Transport Corporation. I don't even have the money to buy my children a packet of biscuit," she said.
Due to her injuries, Varalakshmi is unable to do hard labour. " Had my husband left me with my health intact, I might have been able to eke out a living." She filed the case last year but her husband hadn't attended a sin1gle hearing till date, she said. "Now, the judge has posted the case to June 2. I don't know what will come of it."