Man burnt alive after setting off explosive in cab near Sira, woman and driver escape inferno

TUMAKURU: A 30-year-old man was burnt alive after a petrol bomb exploded inside a taxi, while the driver and a woman accompanying the victim escaped with their lives, near Jogihalli, Sira taluk under Kallambella police limits on Saturday. It is suspected that the victim Nagendra and the woman, Ramya Ullas Nayak (23) were in a relationship and had she had broken up recently.

The incident occurred when they were travelling from Jayanagar in Bengaluru to Ankola on the Bengaluru-Pune national highway. Both are from Agasuru village, Ankola taluk in Uttara Kannada district and are said to have been in a relationship for the last six years. While Nagendra looked after his family farm, Ramya works as an operation theatre technician at the Sanjay Gandhi Hospital.

Nagendra and Ramya kept in touch on phone every day, but over the last 4-5 days, she had blocked his number. Angered by this, Nagendra hired an Uber taxi and landed at Ramya’s rented room at Byrasandra Bhovi Colony, in Jayanagar 1st Block, early on Saturday morning.

Nagendra reportedly threatened Ramya and her friend, and forced to accompany him to Ankola. On the way they had an argument and he threatened to stab her to death and end his life.

When the Uber taxi neared Jogihalli, Nagendra stabbed Ramya in the head following which the Uber cab driver stopped the vehicle and got off. Ramya too jumped off the vehicle, but Nagendra locked himself inside and exploded a petrol bomb, thus immolating himself to death. The injured Ramya is receiving treatment at the district hospital. The Kallambella police have registered a case of kidnap among others and are investigating.

Police Superintendent Ashok Venkat K, who visited the spot, said, “We received information about a blast in a car and when we inspected the vehicle and spoke to Ramy and the taxi driver. They said an explosion took place and Nagendra had died. He was carrying an explosive and set it off intentionally. Nagendra and Ramya were in a relationship and had recently broken up. He forcefully kidnapped the woman. They were on their way from Bengaluru to Ankola when the explosion occurred. We are investigating how the blast occurred, from where Nagendra got the explosive and other angles”.