What was initially believed to be a tragic death by fire and suffocation has now been revealed as a chilling case of murder. Police investigations into the death of 34-year-old techie Sharmila, who was found dead in her Ramamurthy Nagar flat on January 3, have uncovered that she was strangled by her neighbour before the blaze was set to cover up the crime.
According to police, the accused — 18-year-old Krishnayya, a PUC student from Kerala — lived opposite Sharmila’s apartment in Subramanya Layout. Investigators say he harboured a one-sided obsession with her. On the night of the incident, he allegedly entered her flat through the balcony window, behaved inappropriately, and when she resisted, strangled her to death. He then set fire to the bedroom to destroy evidence and mislead authorities into believing it was an accidental death.
Neighbours confirmed that Sharmila and the accused were acquainted casually. Following forensic analysis and reconstruction of the crime scene, police arrested Krishnayya, who has been remanded to three days of custody. Investigators are now piecing together the sequence of events and gathering further evidence to strengthen the case.
This shocking revelation has sent ripples through Bengaluru’s tech community, highlighting concerns about women’s safety and the dangers of unchecked obsession.
