The incident was initially considered to be a case of death by accidental fire, but an investigation that was launched after a friend of the woman suspected foul play led investigators to the neighbour, a college student.
Published Jan 12, 2026 | 12:47 PM ⚊ Updated Jan 12, 2026 | 1:53 PM
Karnal Kurai allegedly smothered the woman when she resisted his sexual advances, and then set the room on fire.
Synopsis: The incident was initially considered to be a case of death by accidental fire, but an investigation that was launched after a friend of the woman had suspected foul play led to the arrest of Karnal Kurai, an 18-year-old college student.
A week after a 34-year-old female software engineer was found dead in her flat at Ramamurthy Nagar in Bengaluru, police, on 10 January, arrested her teenage neighbour.
The incident was initially considered to be a case of death by accidental fire, but an investigation that was launched after a friend of the woman had suspected foul play led to the arrest of Karnal Kurai, an 18-year-old college student.
On 3 January, a fire broke out around 10:15 pm at the woman’s two-bedroom flat. Firefighters discovered her charred body in a room belonging to her flatmate, who had been away since mid-November.
While first responders initially suspected an electrical short circuit, the autopsy revealed that she had died of suffocation.
A close friend of the victim raised suspicions of foul play, prompting Ramamurthy Nagar police to register a case of unnatural death, and further probe led investigators to Kurai.
Police said that Kurai entered the flat through a sliding window around 9:00 pm. He reportedly demanded sexual favors and when the woman resisted, he smothered her by covering her mouth and nose with his hands.
To cover up the crime, Kurai allegedly gathered her clothes and other materials from the spare bedroom and set them ablaze before fleeing with her mobile phone.
He has been charged under BNS Sections 103(1) (murder), 64(2) (rape), 66 (causing death in a vegetative state) and 238 (destroying evidence).
