The death of a 34-year-old software engineer in east Bengaluru, initially believed to be the result of a fire accident, has now been confirmed as a case of murder, police said after a week-long investigation backed by forensic and technical evidence.

The woman, identified as Sharmila DK, was found dead in her rented apartment at Subramanya Layout in Ramamurthy Nagar on the night of January 3. Smoke had engulfed the house after a fire broke out in one of the bedrooms, leading investigators at first to suspect that she had died of suffocation caused by an electrical short circuit.

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

Neighbours Alert Police

Sharmila, who worked with Accenture, was alone at home at the time of the incident, as her flatmate had travelled to her hometown. Fire and emergency services rushed to the spot after neighbours noticed the blaze and alerted the police. Her body was later sent for a post-mortem examination.

However, the case took a dramatic turn after forensic findings contradicted the initial theory. The post-mortem report and analysis by the Forensic Science Laboratory raised doubts about the accidental fire angle, prompting investigators to dig deeper.

“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 subsequently arrested an 18-year-old youth, identified as Karnal Kurai, a PUC student originally from Kerala, who lived with his mother in the house next to the victim’s apartment. Investigators said the accused was known to Sharmila and had allegedly developed a one-sided obsession with her.

According to the police, the accused entered the victim’s flat around 9 pm on January 3 through a sliding window while she was alone. He allegedly asked her to cooperate sexually. When she resisted, he is said to have forcefully covered her mouth and nose, causing her to lose consciousness. During the struggle, she sustained bleeding injuries.

Accused Strangled Victim, Set Fire to Hide Crime

Police said the accused then strangled her, resulting in her death. In an attempt to destroy evidence and mislead investigators, he allegedly piled the victim’s clothes and other materials on a bedroom mattress and set them on fire. The flames later spread, filling the house with smoke. He also allegedly fled the scene after stealing her mobile phone.

“Evidence suggests the accused had planned the murder in advance and used fire as a cover-up,” the officer said.

Following the discovery of the body, police had initially registered an Unnatural Death Report under Section 194(3)(iv) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). The case gained momentum after a friend of the victim raised concerns about the circumstances surrounding her death, prompting a more detailed probe.

Based on the accused’s alleged confession and corroborating scientific and circumstantial evidence, he has been booked under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 103(1) (murder), 64(2), 66, and 238 (destruction of evidence). He has been remanded to three days of police custody.

Police said further investigation is underway to reconstruct the sequence of events and collect additional forensic evidence.