Brutal: Software Engineer Murdered By 18 Year Old?

In what could be considered an extremely distressing incident, it is being established that a software engineer based out of Bengaluru has been reportedly killed by an 18 year old man.

On the night of January 3, 2026, a fire broke out around 10:15 pm at software engineer Sharmila’s two-bedroom flat in Subramanya Layout of Bengaluru. Firefighters discovered her charred body in a room belonging to her roommate, who had been away since mid-November. While first responders initially suspected an electrical short circuit, the investigation quickly took a darker turn.

A close friend of the victim raised suspicions of foul play, prompting Ramamurthy Nagar police to register an unnatural death case. Forensic officers found no evidence of an electrical fault and the autopsy revealed that Sharmila had died of suffocation rather than burns.

Technical evidence led police to 18 year old Karnal Kurai, PUC student and Sharmila’s neighbor. Police said that Kurai entered the flat through a sliding window around 9:00 pm.

He reportedly demanded physical favors and when Sharmila resisted, he smothered her by covering her mouth and nose until she lost consciousness. To cover up the crime, Kurai gathered her clothes and other materials in the spare bedroom and set them ablaze before fleeing with her mobile phone.

Kurai, a native of Virajpet living with his single mother, was arrested on Saturday. He has been charged under BNS Sections 103(1), 64(2), 66 and 238. The suspect remains in police custody for three days as further investigations continue