Bengaluru: Teen neighbour kills software engineer twice his age after rejection, sets flat on fire to make it appear a natural death
Fire incident raised suspicion early
The incident took place on the night of January 3 at a rented flat in Subramanya Layout, Ramamurthynagar. Notice of smoke coming from a locked two-bedroom flat prompted the owner of the building to call the fire brigade around 10.30pm.
Fire personnel broke the door and extinguished the flames and found Sharmila Kushalappa lying unconscious near the kitchen. He was taken to hospital but was pronounced dead. In the first evaluation, it was suggested that the woman may have died due to smoke inhalation.
Injuries indicate foul play
Suspicions began to surface when police noticed injuries to Sharmila’s hands and signs of struggle inside the flat. These findings did not align with the accidental fire theory.
His friend K Rohit’s complaint further strengthened the suspicions. Later forensic analysis and autopsy report confirmed that the injuries occurred before the fire. Medical experts concluded that Sharmila had drowned shortly before losing consciousness.
Young neighbor arrested
Police arrested Karnal Kurai K, a second-year pre-college student who lived with his mother in the same building next door to the victim’s home. He is a native of Arasunagar in Virajpet in Kodagu district. After his confession, he was detained in police custody for 3 days.
Sharmila, originally from Mangaluru, was working with Accenture and living alone in the flat.
How did the crime come to light?
Investigators said Karnal allegedly entered Sharmila’s flat around 9 pm through a sliding window. When confronted, he expressed his desire for her. She resisted and shouted at him to leave.
Police claimed that the teenager then kept his mouth and nose covered, causing him to lose consciousness. In an attempt to destroy evidence, the woman reportedly took off her bloody clothes, set them on fire, and then escaped through the same window. The fire then spread to other parts of the apartment, creating the impression of accidental death.
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 defendant’s actions represented a deliberate effort to erase evidence and portray the murder as a natural death.
The case sent shockwaves through the region, highlighting how it can take days for a crime hiding behind smoke and flames to come to light, and how a routine fire report can reveal a much more disturbing truth.
