A 26-year-old physiotherapist from Bengaluru was found dead under mysterious circumstances in a house in Karnataka’s Chikkaballapur district, while her boyfriend was discovered unconscious in the same room and was taken to the hospital, police said.
The deceased has been identified as Sai Surabhi, while the man has been identified as Mohammed Sanjit Ali, 26, a mechanical engineering graduate from Kerala who was reportedly working as a taxi driver.
According to police, the incident came to light after the caretaker of the home near Muddenahalli village informed the authorities on Monday afternoon.
“When our police team rushed to the spot, the woman was found dead, and the man was lying unconscious. He was taken to the hospital for treatment,” Chikkaballapur Superintendent of Police Kushal Choksi told news agency PTI.
The police found a rope, a large number of pills, alcohol bottles, vomit marks and a pillow from the room. However, there were no obvious external injuries or blood-related wounds on Surabhi’s body.
“Since there are no visible external injuries or blood-related injuries on the body, it is not yet clear whether this is a case of suicide or murder. The exact cause of death can be determined only after examining the body,” Choksi said.
The officer said investigators were investigating all possible angles, including murder, suicide and poisoning.
He added, “We cannot say whether she was killed, poisoned, or died by suicide. A rope was also found inside the room, so all possibilities remain open. There is also a possibility of poisoning, as the man is undergoing treatment.”
The couple has been in a relationship for several years
Police said initial investigations revealed that Surabhi and Ali were in a relationship and that they had fled to Kerala last year before returning voluntarily.
Surabhi’s family, who opposed the relationship, claimed that Ali was responsible for her death and accused him of introducing drugs to her, according to police sources cited by India Today.
The report also stated that the couple was earlier booked under the NDPS Act after drugs were found during a party they attended.
Following the case, Surabhi’s family reportedly admitted her to a rehabilitation center in Mysuru, where she underwent treatment for alcohol and drug addiction for about six months before returning to Bengaluru.
According to investigators, Surabhi recently traveled to Chikkaballapur to volunteer at the Sports Authority of India campus.
Police believe Ali knew she was there, traveled from Kerala and booked accommodation where the two stayed together for several days before the incident, India Today reported.
Home stay records show Ali checked into the property on Saturday, although police are still verifying what time Surabhi arrived at the premises.
The police are awaiting forensic reports
Police said Ali took pills and remained unconscious in hospital. His statements will be recorded after he regains consciousness.
A case of murder is being registered at Nandi police station, although officials have stressed that the exact cause of death will be known only after forensic and post-mortem examinations are completed.
Investigators said Ali’s statement would be crucial in reconstructing the sequence of events that led to Surabhi’s death.
