BENGALURU: A 24-year-old techie ended her life by setting herself on fire in an east Bengaluru hotel room recently after she was sexually harassed and blackmailed by her uncle.
The accused has been arrested by HAL police. The deceased — Preethi (name changed), a resident of east Bengaluru — worked as a software engineer for a private firm. According to a complaint filed by Preethi’s mother, the accused harassed and blackmailed her elder daughter with her nude photos and videos, threatening to leak them if she refused physical intimacy with him.
The accused is married to Preethi’s paternal aunt.
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Preethi was staying in her grandparent’s house at Thirumalashettyhalli for the last six years. She would spend most of her free time with her uncle’s family at their apartment in KR Puram. She also went on a trip with him and his wife.
Around 8.40pm on Jan 12, the complainant received a call from her sister who informed her that Preethi had suffered burns in her face, and was ad mitted to Victoria Hospital. She visited the hospital, where the doctors told her that she had succumbed to the injuries.
The next morning, a friend of Preethi met the complainant saying the de ceased had informed him that her uncle had been harassing her with her nudes photos, stored in his phone and a pen drive.
She had also revealed she had been getting suicidal thoughts. He counselled her not to take such extreme step and suggested she inform her parents of the issue and find a solution to it.
Accused cooks up accident story
According to police, the accused booked a hotel room near Kundalahalli Metro station to meet Preethi. On her way, she purchased petrol and hid the bottle in her jacket, while entering the room.
After she met her uncle, she poured petrol on herself and lit fire. The accused also sustained burns in his hand as he doused the fire on her and rushed her to a nearby private hospital. As she had sustained more than 60%, doctors suggested he take her to Victoria Hospital.
When family members asked him how the incident happened, he claimed he received a call from Preethi’s mobile, saying she had met with a road accident in which she suffered burns.
Hand hidden in jacket raises suspicion
As the family went to Whitefield police station to lodge a complaint, the accused was seen hiding his hand in his jacket. Police, who suspected his behaviour, forced him to remove the jacket and found burns. They alerted jurisdiction HAL police and handed him over to them.
During interrogation, he confessed that Preethi came to meet him in the hotel room and killed herself.
“We have seized his phone. He confessed that he and Preethi were in a relationship. For the last few months, she had been avoiding him as she became close to another person. He had recorded their private moments on his mobile and blackmailed her,” a senior officer said.
A case has been registered under BNS section 108 (abetment of suicide). His phone and pen drive have been seized. Preethi’s mother has filed a complaint against the accused’s wife too. “We are verifying her involvement,” the officer added.
If you need emotional support, call suicide-prevention helplines — Arogya Vani: 104, Sahay: 080-25497777
