A 27-year-old woman has been accused of killing her colleague and partner in Bengaluru by tying him to a chair, blindfolding him and setting him on fire inside her house on Tuesday, police said, adding that the incident was a deliberate act carried out under the guise of a marriage proposal.
According to the police, the incident occurred on Tuesday morning within the Pyadarhalli police limits. The victim, Kiran (27 years old), was in a relationship with the accused Prerana for nearly a year. They both worked in a telecommunications company.
According to the police, the woman asked Kiran to come to her house in Anjanapura around 10 am, when her family members were not present. Investigators say the two spent some time talking before the situation escalated.
Prerana blindfolded him and tied his hands and legs to a chair, police said. When he doubted her actions, she reassured him. “When he asked her why she was restraining him so tightly, she told him: ‘This is a foreign-style suggestion, just stay calm,’” Deputy Commissioner of Police D L Nagesh said, citing details from the preliminary investigation.
Officers said Kieran did not resist, believing it to be part of a surprise. Police allege that the woman then poured gasoline on him and set him on fire. He was unable to free himself due to the restraints, and died at the scene.
Investigators said that the accused recorded the incident on her mobile phone. “Even when the victim was burning, she continued recording the video. This aspect shows the brutality of the crime,” the officer said.
In the immediate aftermath, the woman is said to have tried to mislead investigators. According to police, she initially claimed that she was in the toilet when she heard a noise and later found Kiran on fire. She told officers: “I was in the toilet when I heard a noise. When I came out, Kieran set himself on fire.”
But this story was contradicted during the investigation. Police said CCTV footage and other preliminary findings did not support their story. They also pointed out that Kiran did not bring any flammable material with him. An officer involved in the investigation said: “There are strong suspicions that the accused arranged the gasoline in advance. This indicates premeditation.”
Police believe the act may have been caused by tensions in the relationship. According to investigators, the woman was upset that Kiran ignored her and refused to marry her.
“The accused woman was detained and interrogated. It was proven that she set her lover on fire. It appears that this act was motivated by anger at the neglect in the relationship,” the Deputy Commissioner of Police said.
A case of murder has been registered, and police said further investigations are underway to determine the full sequence of events and confirm the motive.
