HANCOCK COUNTY, Ind. -- A McCordsville man is facing a strangulation charge and several other felonies after police said he held a woman against her will during a domestic battery incident earlier this month.
Officers with the McCordsville Police Department were dispatched on April 14 to a home on Birmingham Avenue in response to reports of a domestic disturbance. According to the probable cause affidavit, a woman claimed that a man identified as Vivekananda Bikka had allegedly kicked her several times in the back, choked her and "tried to kill her."
The woman had reached out to authorities from a neighbor's residence after reportedly escaping from Bikka following the attack. Court documents show that officers observed red marks on the woman's neck after arriving on the scene.
The woman who called dispatch was described by responding officers to be visibly distraught as she was seen "crying, breathing heavily and her hands were shaking." The woman was reportedly sporting a bruise on the left side of her neck and swelling on her left hand and more bruising could also be seen on the upper right side and lower right sides of her back, court documents said.
According to police, the woman told officers that the altercation began when Bikka became upset over food that he reportedly claimed was cold as "he walked over to her and shoved food into her mouth while telling her how bad the food was."
The woman then entered a bedroom to attempt to get away from Bikka as he allegedly slammed doors and cabinets in the kitchen.
The woman reportedly told officers that she observed the child covering their ears due to the loud sounds caused by Bikkal as he slammed doors in the kitchen, court documents said.
The woman and Bikkal began arguing again after he reentered a bedroom when he allegedly threw her to the ground and proceeded to grab her throat with one hand while using his other hand to cover her nose and mouth, court documents said.
The woman stated that she could not breathe and "believed she was going to die," according to court documents. The woman proceeded to attempt to hit Bikka in an effort to prevent him from strangling her and causing further harm.
It was at that moment that Bikka allegedly began beating her on the right side of her back with a closed fist after pushing her over.
The woman reportedly tried to exit the residence while Bikkal approached the front door due to her screaming for help. Court documents said Bikkal prevented her from leaving after grabbing her left arm to bring her back inside.
Court documents said the woman was allegedly dragged back into the living room from the open back door as she screamed for help.
The woman then asked for a glass of water. As Bikka got up to get this for her, she ran out of the residence's front door without shoes or her cell phone. She went to a neighbor's home where she rang the doorbell and asked for assistance.
The woman reportedly told officers that this was not the first time Bikka choked or beat her, court documents said.
When officers interviewed Bikka to learn more about what happened, court documents show he denied that he had done anything. He reportedly told police that the woman was screaming at him after he asked her to heat up cold food.
Court documents state that Bikka told officers that a 3-year-old child was still in the residence after he exited the residence to speak with them.
Officers arrested Bikka and brought him to the Hancock County Jail where he was preliminarily charged with the following offenses:
- Criminal confinement with bodily injury (level 5 felony)
- Two counts of strangulation (level 6 felony)
- Kidnapping (level 6 felony)
- Two counts of domestic battery committed in the presence of a child less than 6 years old (level 6 felony)
According to online court records, Bikka has a status conference update scheduled next month on May 22 in Hancock Superior Court 1.