Teen Kills 34-Year-Old Bengaluru Techie For Refusing Sexual Advances

A week after a software engineer was found dead in her rented house in Bengaluru, investigators have revealed she was killed by an 18-year-old man after she resisted his sexual advances.

Sharmila DK, 34, was found dead on January 3. Initially, it was suspected that the techie, who worked at Accenture, had died of suffocation after a fire broke out at her apartment in Subramany Layout in Ramamurthy Nagar.

Following the discovery of the body, the police registered an Unnatural Death Report under Section 194(3)(iv) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and commenced an investigation.

During the probe, using scientific methods and technical evidence, the police zeroed in on the accused - identified as Karnal Kurai - who lived in the house adjacent to the victim's home.

When questioned, Kurai allegedly confessed to the crime. He told the police that he entered the woman's house around 9 pm on January 3 through a sliding window with the intention of seeking sexual favours. When the victim resisted, he allegedly forcefully covered her mouth and nose until she became semi-conscious. In the ensuing struggle, the victim also sustained bleeding injuries.

Police stated that in an attempt to destroy evidence, the accused placed the victim's clothes and other incriminating materials on the bedroom mattress and set them on fire before fleeing the scene. He also allegedly stole the victim's mobile phone while escaping.

Following the confession and corroborating evidence, the accused has been booked under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 103(1) (murder), 64(2), 66, and 238 (destruction of evidence). Further investigation into the case is currently in progress.