A 47-year-old woman from Thrissur, Kerala, who was brutally assaulted by her employer while resisting an alleged sexual assault in Bengaluru, died on Tuesday. The deceased, Sunitha Smitha (47), a native of Pathamkallu in Vadanappally, had been on ventilator support at the Jubilee Mission Hospital in Thrissur after sustaining severe injuries.

The incident occurred on Sunday at Sulibele in Bengaluru. Sunita, along with two other women, had travelled to Bengaluru for work at a shelter home that cares for stray dogs. The accused, Deepak Krishnan, a Malayali based in Bengaluru who runs the shelter, allegedly attacked Sunita violently.

According to reports, the assault took place after Sunita refused his sexual advances and stated that she intended to return to Kerala. Deepak allegedly attacked her brutally, repeatedly smashing her head against a wall and an almirah, and stamping on her chest. Police said he also threatened the other women present with a knife when they tried to intervene.

Sunita’s husband, Sinto, stated that one of the women who witnessed the incident informed him over the phone, following which a complaint was lodged with Vadanappally Police. The case came to light after Vadanappally Police contacted Bengaluru Police. He also said that an audio recording has surfaced in which the speaker, purportedly Deepak, admits to assaulting Sunita and taking her to the hospital in an ambulance.

Thrissur East Police had earlier registered a case in connection with the incident.