Neighbour Arrested for Murdering Bengaluru Techie Sharmila in One-Sided Love Case
Bengaluru techie Sharmila murdered by neighbour who suffocated her and set house on fire to cover up crime.
The mysterious death of Sharmila, a 28-year-old software engineer from Mangalore, in Bengaluru's Ramamurthy Nagar has been reclassified as murder following a thorough police investigation. Initially reported as a fire-related suffocation on January 3, 2026, the case revealed a horrifying act by her 18-year-old neighbor, Karnal Kura. Living opposite her in Subramanya Layout, Kura harbored a secret, unrequited obsession with Sharmila, who had resided there for two years while working at a local tech firm. Police confirmed she was unaware of his feelings, making the intrusion all the more shocking.
On that fateful night, Kura barged into Sharmila's home uninvited, embracing her abruptly and acting inappropriately. When she resisted and pushed him away in rage, he flew into a violent fury. Grabbing a pillow, Kura suffocated her to death in a brutal attack, exploiting her vulnerability while she was alone. Eyewitness accounts from the investigation suggest the assault was swift and rage-fueled, lasting mere minutes before he escalated his cover-up.
To conceal the crime, Kura deliberately set fire to the bedroom, igniting the sofa, curtains, and bed where Sharmila lay lifeless. He fled the scene immediately, leaving behind a staged arson that initially misled responders. The house owner, Vijayendra, alerted Ramamurthy Nagar police after spotting smoke, prompting firefighters and officers to break in. They discovered the room in ashes and Sharmila unconscious, rushing her to a nearby hospital where doctors declared her dead on arrival.
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Initially, authorities registered it as an unnatural death due to apparent smoke inhalation, launching probes into the fire's origin. Forensic analysis and scene reconstruction exposed inconsistencies—no accidental ignition source, signs of manual suffocation like pillow fibers on her face, and Kura's suspicious proximity. CCTV footage from the neighborhood and his erratic behavior post-incident led police to him swiftly. A senior officer noted Kura's failed attempts to interact with Sharmila previously, fueling his deadly fixation.
Kura, now in custody, faces charges of murder, trespassing, and arson. The investigation continues, with police urging witnesses to come forward amid community shock over the one-sided love turning fatal. Sharmila's colleagues remember her as diligent and private, her death highlighting urban safety risks for single women. Authorities have bolstered patrols in Subramanya Layout to prevent similar tragedies.
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