34-Year-Old Bengaluru Software Engineer Killed for Rejecting Sexual Advances by 18-Year-Old Neighbour, Flat Set Ablaze to Hide Murder

What initially appeared to be a tragic accident has now emerged as a chilling case of premeditated murder. A 34-year-old software engineer in Bengaluru was allegedly killed by her teenage 18-year-old neighbour after she rejected his sexual advances, police said. 

Investigators revealed that the accused deliberately set the victim’s apartment on fire to destroy evidence and pass off the crime as an electrical short circuit, a claim later disproved by forensic findings. 

Why Did Teen Neighbour Kill Bengaluru Woman? 

Police said the accused, identified as 18-year-old Karnal Kurai, allegedly murdered 34-year-old Sharmila after she rejected his sexual advances. During questioning, the teenager confessed and told investigators that he entered the woman’s apartment around 9 pm on January 3 through a sliding window, intending to seek sexual favours, according to PTI. 

When the victim resisted, he allegedly smothered her by covering her mouth and nose until she lost consciousness, leaving her with bleeding injuries during the struggle. In a bid to destroy evidence, the accused is said to have piled the victim’s clothes and other items on the bedroom mattress and set them on fire before fleeing the apartment. He also allegedly took her mobile phone while escaping. 

How Did the Fire Hide the Crime for Nearly a Week?

Sharmila, a native of Kavoor in Mangaluru, had been residing in an apartment at  Subramanya Layout in Bengaluru’s Ramamurthy Nagar for nearly a year and a half along with a friend. She worked with IT major Accenture, and was on leave at the time of the incident and alone at home, as her roommate had gone to her hometown. 

The incident took place late on January 3 at 11 pm, when a fire erupted in one of the apartment rooms, engulfing the house in heavy smoke. After neighbours alerted the authorities, fire and emergency personnel rushed to the scene, extinguished the blaze and moved the body for a post-mortem. 

Initially, investigators believed the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit, resulting in death by suffocation, according to reports. 

Ramamurthy Nagar police inspector GJ Sathish said, “At first glance, everything pointed towards an accidental fire caused by an electrical short circuit. There were no visible signs of foul play.” 

How Did Forensic Evidence Expose the ‘Accidental Fire’ Claim?

Investigators said their initial assessment shifted after forensic evidence contradicted the theory of an “accidental fire.” Findings from the post-mortem examination and the Forensic Science Laboratory flagged irregularities at the scene, leading police to suspect that the blaze had been deliberately ignited to erase evidence. 

 “As the investigation progressed, it became clear that this was not an accident but a planned murder made to look like a fire mishap. The accused attempted to create a false narrative of an electrical fire to mislead investigators,” Sathish said.  

Police stated that the arrest was based on compelling technical inputs and strong circumstantial evidence. “Evidence suggests the accused had planned the murder in advance and used fire as a cover-up,” the officer said.  Following his confession, the accused was booked under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 103(1) for murder, along with sections 64(2), 66 and 238 related to sexual assault and destruction of evidence, NDTV reported.

Also Read: Haryana Shocker: Junior Hockey Coach Arrested For Alleged Sexual Assault Of Minor Player Inside Stadium Washroom Facilities