Bengaluru techie murdered by neighbour, not killed in fire; probe reveals twist

What was initially being investigated as a suspected suicide has now turned out to be a case of murder, police said, following a probe into the death of a 34-year-old techie found dead in her rented accommodation in east Bengaluru earlier this month.

The victim, identified as Sharmila, was living alone in a flat in Subramanya Layout of Ramamurthy Nagar. She was found dead on January 3 after a fire broke out in her flat, prompting investigators to initially suspect death due to suffocation. A detailed investigation later revealed that she had been murdered.

According to police, the accused, 18-year-old Krishnayya, is a PUC student from Kerala who lived in the house opposite Sharmila’s flat and was allegedly in one-sided love with her. Investigators said the youth entered Sharmila’s flat late at night through a sliding balcony window.

Police said the accused allegedly behaved inappropriately with Sharmila after entering the flat and hugged her from behind. When she resisted and tried to free herself, he allegedly struck her on the neck, causing her to lose consciousness. He then allegedly strangled her to death.

To make the crime appear accidental and to destroy evidence, the accused allegedly set fire to the bedroom, which later spread to other parts of the house. The blaze initially misled investigators into treating the case as a suspected death due to suffocation.

During the probe, police found that Sharmila and the accused were known to each other, with neighbours stating that she spoke to him occasionally. Police said the youth’s one-sided obsession ultimately led to the crime.

The accused has been arrested and remanded to three days of police custody. Further investigation is underway to reconstruct the sequence of events and gather forensic evidence, police said.

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