In a shocking development in east Bengaluru, what was originally believed to be a tragic house fire has now been officially ruled a premeditated murder. Police have arrested 18-year-old Karnal Kurai, a pre-university student and neighbour of the deceased, for allegedly killing 34-year-old software engineer Sharmila D Kushalappa after she refused his sexual advances, and then setting her flat ablaze to destroy evidence.

Sharmila, who worked in the city’s IT sector and lived alone in a two-bedroom rented apartment in Subramanya Layout, was found unconscious in her burning home on the night of 3 January and later declared dead.

Initial assumptions that she died from smoke inhalation due to an electrical short circuit were overturned after forensic analysis, post-mortem findings and technical evidence pointed to a violent struggle and deliberate arson. The accused has been remanded in police custody and booked under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita as investigations continue.

Investigation Rewrites Initial Assumptions

The unsettling case began late on 3 January, when firefighters responded to reports of a blaze at Sharmila’s apartment between 10:15 pm and 10:45 pm. Neighbours and the building owner alerted authorities after seeing smoke billowing from inside.

Fire and emergency personnel broke into the apartment and discovered Sharmila’s body amid the charred remains. At first, police believed a short circuit might have sparked the fire and that Sharmila had succumbed to smoke inhalation, a theory not uncommon in similar residential incidents.

However, the course of the investigation changed dramatically when a close friend of Sharmila expressed serious doubts about foul play. The police subsequently registered an unnatural death report and ordered a thorough forensic examination of the scene.

Officials from the Scene Of Crime Officers (SOCO) unit and forensic laboratory found no evidence of an electrical fault causing the fire, and the post-mortem report indicated that Sharmila had likely died from suffocation inflicted prior to the blaze, with her injuries inconsistent with accidental burns. There were also fresh minor injuries to her body that raised immediate concerns about a violent encounter.

Police noted that the fire had started in the room Sharmila’s flatmate usually occupied, but that occupant had been away in her home state and was not present on the night of the incident. Technical evidence, including missing personal items such as Sharmila’s mobile phone, further complicated the narrative and prompted a more detailed digital and circumstantial investigation.

Accused Neighbour Arrested as Probe Deepens

As the investigation progressed, authorities zeroed in on Karnal Kurai, an 18-year-old pre-university student from Virajpet in Kodagu district, who lived next door with his mother.

According to police, Karnal and Sharmila were known to each other, having interacted occasionally within the residential building. Forensic and technical evidence, including phone usage and movement patterns, was used to link him to the scene.

Police allege that Karnal entered Sharmila’s flat around 9 pm via a sliding window, knowing she was alone, as her flatmate had gone to Assam. Once inside, he is said to have demanded that she cooperate with his sexual advances.

When she resisted, investigators say he held her mouth and nose tightly, causing her to lose consciousness. Sharmila is believed to have sustained injuries and to have been bleeding during the struggle. After she was rendered unconscious, the accused gathered her clothes and other materials and set them on fire in the vacant bedroom to destroy evidence before fleeing with her mobile phone.

Police arrested Karnal from his residence on 10 January, and he was subsequently remanded to three days of police custody to assist with further questioning and reconstruction of events.

He has been charged under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including punishments for murder, rape, causing death, and causing disappearance of evidence. Officers have indicated that further investigation is ongoing to confirm the sequence of events and to ensure all leads are explored.

The Logical Indian’s Perspective

This disturbing case highlights how appearances can be deceptive and why methodical, evidence-based investigations are crucial, especially when the lives and safety of individuals are at stake. A tragedy that initially appeared to be a fire accident soon revealed deeper, darker undercurrents of violence, entitlement, and predatory behaviour.

It is deeply troubling that a neighbour, someone presumably part of the same community, could allegedly commit such an atrocious act, fuelled by rejection and a sense of entitlement. This case not only underscores the persistent vulnerabilities faced by women despite legal safeguards but also exposes how quickly routine assumptions can mask harrowing truths.