- The death of LIC officer Kalyani Nambi was ruled a murder by Tamil Nadu Police
- T Ram, a male colleague, was arrested for setting Kalyani ablaze with petrol in Madurai
- Kalyani had exposed insurance claim irregularities and threatened action against Ram
The death of a senior woman officer in a fire at a Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) office in Madurai in December was a case of murder and not an accident, Tamil Nadu Police have concluded, arresting a male colleague for allegedly setting her ablaze after dousing her with petrol.
Police have arrested T Ram, an Assistant Administrative Officer at the LIC office on West Perumal Maistry Street, accusing him of killing 54-year-old Kalyani Nambi, who was charred to death in the blaze that was initially suspected to have been caused by an air-conditioner short circuit.
Investigators now say Ram poured petrol inside Kalyani Nambi's cabin and set it on fire, allegedly to silence her after she exposed irregularities in insurance claims settlements and sought action against him. Kalyani Nambi had been transferred to Madurai only recently from Tirunelveli.
The incident took place inside the LIC office located in Madurai's temple city. While the fire was first treated as accidental, doubts emerged after the victim's son approached the police, alleging foul play. In his complaint, he stated that his mother had called him minutes before the fire, sounding distressed, and had asked him to immediately alert the police.
Adding to the suspicion, police found that the officer's cabin - which would normally remain open during office hours - was locked with a chain from the outside. The accused, Ram, also sustained minor burn injuries, which he initially claimed were accidental.
Police sources told NDTV that Ram gave contradictory statements during questioning, prompting a deeper probe.
According to investigators, Kalyani Nambi had recently flagged alleged irregularities in the settlement of insurance claims and had warned that she would recommend disciplinary action against Ram. "The warning that she would recommend action against him appears to be the motive. We are investigating," a senior police officer told NDTV.
The arrest has sent shockwaves through the LIC establishment and raised serious questions about workplace safety and the protection of whistleblowers. LIC has not commented on this issue yet.
