Bengaluru techie didn't die in fire, was strangled by teen neighbour: Cops
Police have found that Sharmila was strangled to death inside her Bengaluru apartment, after which the accused set the flat on fire to destroy evidence.
What was initially being investigated as a case of death due to fire has now turned out to be a 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 opposite Sharmila’s flat and allegedly had unrequited feelings for her.
Investigators said the teen broke into Sharmila’s flat late at night through a sliding balcony window. He then grabbed Sharmila from behind and behaved inappropriately with her. When she resisted, he allegedly struck her on the neck, causing her to fall unconscious and then strangled her.
To make the crime appear accidental and destroy evidence, the accused allegedly set fire to the bedroom, which later spread to other parts of the house.
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 teen’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.