A businessman was found dead at his residence at Rajajinagar near Bengaluru's Yeshwantpura on Saturday, August 17. The 41-year-old Rajasthan-based apparel businessman, Jai Kumar, was stabbed and then burnt inside the bathroom on the second floor of his three-floor residence at Rajajinagar 5th block. The police initially suspected he died due to an accidental fire.
The incident came into light after his neighbours noticed smoke coming out of the building and alerted the fire control room. The fire brigade rushed to the spot, doused the flames and found Kumar's body severely burnt.
The police found blood splattered inside Kumar's bedroom and suspected foul play as his daughter, 15, and her male friend, a B.com student, also sustained burn injuries.
The police said that Kumar's daughter kept changing her statement. The girl and Kumar had dropped her mother and brother at the railway station on Saturday night as they were leaving for Tamil Nadu to attend a function.
In one version, the girl claimed that on Sunday morning she went to a relative's house and after returning she noticed smoke rising from the bathroom and called her friend to douse the fire. She later changed her story and said that she noticed the fire as she was returning home after morning walk.
Reports said the police suspects that Kumar was first stabbed to death and then dragged into the bathroom, where he was set ablaze.
Traces of a party held at Kumar's house on Saturday were also found. The police have recovered a few bottles of chemicals from the house. The police found that the murderers also tried to destroy the evidence and made it look like an accident. But the forensic experts have confirmed murder.
"We are questioning the youth about his proximity to the family, and another man," N Shashikumar, deputy commissioner of police (north) told Times of India. "We are also questioning Kumar's daughter to know more details about the incident. We will share the information on Monday," he added.
