The incident occurred in the Byadarahalli police limits on Tuesday. The deceased, Kiran (27), and the accused woman, Prerana, were colleagues at a telecom company and had been in a relationship for nearly a year. Police sources indicate that tensions had recently escalated between the two, with the woman allegedly upset over Kiran ignoring her and refusing to marry.
According to investigators, Prerana called Kiran to her house in Anjanapura on Tuesday morning at around 10 am when her mother and brother were not at home. After spending some time talking, she allegedly blindfolded him and tied his hands and legs to a chair.
"When he questioned why she was tying him so tightly, she told him, 'This is a foreign-style proposal, just stay quiet,'" DCP D L Nagesh said, quoting details from the preliminary investigation.
Unaware of what was about to happen, Kiran reportedly remained seated, expecting a surprise. However, in a gruesome turn, the accused allegedly poured petrol on him and set him ablaze. Unable to escape due to the restraints, he died on the spot.
Police have revealed that the accused also recorded the entire act on her mobile phone. "Even as the victim was burning, she continued recording the video. This aspect shows the brutality of the crime," he said.
In an attempt to mislead investigators initially, the woman reportedly told police, "I was in the toilet when I heard a noise. When I came out, Kiran had set himself on fire." However, this version soon fell apart during the probe.
CCTV footage and preliminary findings indicated that Kiran had not brought any fuel with him.
"There is a strong suspicion that the petrol was arranged in advance by the accused. This points towards premeditation," the officer added.
DCP said, "The accused woman has been taken into custody and questioned. It has been established that she set her lover on fire. The act appears to have been driven by anger over being neglected in the relationship."
A case of murder has been registered, and further investigation is underway to establish the sequence of events and motive in detail.