A horrifying crime in east Bengaluru, initially mistaken for a tragic accident, has been uncovered as a premeditated murder. A second-year pre-university student allegedly killed a 34-year-old software engineer after she refused his advances and then set her flat on fire in a calculated bid to destroy evidence.
From Suspected Accident to Chilling Murder
The victim, Sharmila Kushalappa, a native of Mangaluru who worked with Accenture, lived alone in a rented flat in Subramanya Layout, Ramamurthynagar. On the night of January 3, a fire broke out in her apartment. Fire personnel, alerted by the building owner around 10:30 PM, broke open the locked door and found Sharmila unconscious near the kitchen. She was rushed to the hospital but was declared brought dead.
Initial suspicion pointed towards death by smoke inhalation. However, the case took a decisive turn when forensic and postmortem findings contradicted this assumption. Police noted injuries on her hands and other signs of a struggle, raising immediate doubts.
The Calculated Cover-Up Unravels
The autopsy confirmed that Sharmila's injuries were inflicted prior to the fire and were inconsistent with accidental burns. Medical experts concluded she had been smothered just before losing consciousness. This critical evidence shifted the investigation from an accident to a homicide.
Police arrested Karnal Kurai K, a student from Arasunagar in Virajpet, Kodagu district, who lived with his mother in the same building, next door to Sharmila's flat. His confession, following a complaint filed by the victim's friend K Rohit who suspected foul play, led to his arrest and a three-day police custody remand.
Sequence of a Brutal Crime
Investigators pieced together a chilling sequence of events. According to the police, Karnal entered Sharmila's flat through a sliding window at 9 PM. He confronted her and expressed his desire, which she firmly resisted, shouting at him to leave. Enraged, he allegedly held her mouth and nose shut, causing her to lose consciousness.
In a cold-blooded attempt to cover his tracks, he then removed her bloodstained clothes, set them on fire, and escaped through the same window. The flames subsequently spread to other parts of the flat, creating the illusion of a domestic fire accident.
Police stated that the accused's actions demonstrated a calculated attempt to erase evidence, transforming what first appeared as a tragic mishap into a case of premeditated murder. The community in Ramamurthynagar has been left in shock by the brutal nature of the crime committed by a neighbour.
