Bengaluru: The mysterious death of a 30-year-old woman in Bengaluru’s Jigani has turned into a murder investigation after the post-mortem examination revealed that she had allegedly been strangled and physically assaulted before her death. The case has also triggered protests by members of the Bajrang Dal, who have alleged that the incident is a case of “love jihad” and demanded stringent action against the accused. Police, officials from Jigani police station told reporters that they registered a case against Nana Saab on charges of murder.
The deceased has been identified as Akshata Indaragi (30), a native of Ilkal in Bagalkot district. Her decomposed body was found on June 17 inside a rented house near Patalamma Temple in Jigani, where she had been living for the past six months.
According to police, neighbours alerted the house owner after noticing that the house had remained locked for nearly three days and a foul smell was emanating from inside. The owner, municipal councillor F .Ramesh, informed the Jigani police, who broke open the door and recovered the body.
Initially, an unnatural death case was registered. However, suspicion arose after CCTV footage reportedly showed Akshata’s live-in partner, identified as Nana Saab, leaving the rented house before disappearing. Police said he has remained absconding since the incident.
Following a complaint by the house owner expressing suspicion over the circumstances of the death, the body was sent for a post-mortem examination. Medical experts reportedly concluded that Akshata had died due to strangulation and assault, prompting police to convert the case into a murder investigation.
During the investigation, police uncovered details about Akshata’s personal life. Officials said she had married Krishna Indaragi around 12 years ago and the couple has two children. Investigators further revealed that Akshata met Nana Saab while working in the saree weaving industry in Ilkal.
Police said Akshata allegedly left her husband and children around six months ago and moved to Jigani in search of employment in a garment factory. She subsequently began living with Nana Saab in the rented accommodation.
Investigators also found that Nana Saab had allegedly contracted another marriage. Police are now probing the nature of his relationships, the circumstances leading to Akshata’s death, and the events immediately preceding the murder. Multiple teams have been formed to trace and arrest the absconding accused.
As news of the murder spread, members of the Bajrang Dal gathered outside the Jigani Police Station and staged a protest. The organisation alleged that Akshata, a Hindu woman, had been lured into a relationship and later murdered. Protesters described the incident as “love jihad” and demanded the immediate arrest of Nana Saab, besides seeking stringent punishment under the law.
Police have acknowledged the protest but have not endorsed the protesters’ characterization of the case. Senior officers have maintained that the investigation is focused on gathering evidence, apprehending the accused and establishing the motive behind the murder. They have urged the public not to speculate until the investigation is complete.
The case has drawn significant public attention because of the circumstances surrounding the victim’s disappearance from her family, her live-in relationship with the absconding accused, and the subsequent discovery of her body. The murder has also reignited public debate after protest groups linked the incident to broader social and communal issues.
Police continue to search for Nana Saab, who remains on the run. Investigators are examining CCTV footage, forensic evidence, witness statements and call records to reconstruct the sequence of events leading to Akshata’s death. Authorities have stated that appropriate legal action will be taken once the accused is apprehended and further evidence is collected.
