A 34-year-old Accenture software engineer, Sharmila Kushalappa, was brutally murdered in her flat in Subramanya Layout, Ramamurthynagar, East Bengaluru, on the night of January 3, 2026. The incident was initially believed to be a tragic death caused by smoke inhalation from a house fire. However, forensic and post-mortem findings contradicted this initial assumption, revealing that Sharmila had been smothered before the fire. This twist led investigators to uncover a murder, with the fire being a calculated attempt to destroy evidence. The Ramamurthynagar police arrested Karnal Kurai K, a second-year pre-university student, who lived in the same building, next door to Sharmila's flat. According to police, Karnal allegedly entered Sharmila's flat through a sliding window. When confronted, he expressed his desire towards her, which she resisted. Enraged by her rejection and resistance, he reportedly smothered her, causing her to lose consciousness. To conceal the murder, he then set fire to clothes inside the flat, which later spread, causing extensive smoke damage. The building owner alerted the fire department after noticing smoke, and firefighters broke open the locked door to find Sharmila unconscious. She was rushed to the hospital but was declared brought dead. The police launched a thorough investigation after a complaint from Sharmila's friend, K Rohit, who suspected foul play, and eventually arrested the accused. This case highlights concerns about safety and underscores the challenges in initial crime scene assessments. Credible sources like the Times of India, which first published this detailed account, corroborated by initial reports from other outlets, confirm the unfolding of this tragic event.