Bengaluru: Teen neighbour kills software engineer twice his age after rejection, sets flat on fire to make it appear a natural death

What was first believed to be a fatal house fire in east Bengaluru has now been uncovered as a cold-blooded murder. Police say a teenage student allegedly killed his neighbour, a 34-year-old software engineer, after she rejected his advances and then set her flat on fire to make the death look natural. The crime came to light after forensic evidence and a postmortem report exposed signs of violence that did not match an accidental blaze, a TOI report stated.

Fire incident raises early suspicion

The incident occurred on the night of January 3 at a rented apartment in Subramanya Layout, Ramamurthynagar. Smoke was noticed coming from a locked two-bedroom flat, prompting the building owner to alert the fire department around 10.30 pm.

Fire personnel broke open the door, extinguished the flames, and found Sharmila Kushalappa lying unconscious near the kitchen. She was rushed to a hospital but was declared brought dead. Initial assessment suggested she may have died due to smoke inhalation.

Injuries point to foul play

Doubts began to surface when police observed injuries on Sharmila’s hands and signs of a struggle inside the flat. These findings did not align with the theory of an accidental fire.

A complaint by her friend, K Rohit, further strengthened suspicions. Subsequent forensic analysis and the postmortem report confirmed that the injuries were inflicted before the fire. Medical experts concluded that Sharmila had been smothered shortly before she lost consciousness.

Teen neighbour arrested

Police arrested Karnal Kurai K, a second-year pre-university student who lived with his mother in the same building, next door to the victim’s flat. He is a native of Arasunagar in Virajpet, Kodagu district. Following his confession, he was remanded to three days of police custody.

Sharmila, originally from Mangaluru, worked with Accenture and lived alone in the apartment.

How the crime unfolded

Investigators said Karnal allegedly entered Sharmila’s flat around 9 pm through a sliding window. When confronted, he expressed his desire towards her. She resisted and shouted at him to leave.

Police said the teenager then allegedly held her mouth and nose shut, causing her to lose consciousness. In an attempt to destroy evidence, he reportedly removed her bloodstained clothes and set them on fire before escaping through the same window. The fire later spread to other parts of the flat, creating the impression of an accidental death.

A murder disguised as an accident

What initially appeared to be a tragic fire accident is now being treated as a planned murder followed by an attempt to mislead investigators. Police said the accused’s actions showed a deliberate effort to erase evidence and pass off the killing as a natural death.

The case has sent shockwaves through the locality, highlighting how a crime hidden behind smoke and flames can take days to surface, and how a routine fire call can unravel a far more disturbing truth.