The bodies of Akash Basavaraj, 27, and Nagarathna, 24, were discovered on the first floor of a building in Kammagondanahalli near Gangammanagudi on Monday, two days after a massive fire erupted at an illegal gas refilling shop. The couple is suspected to have died of suffocation after becoming trapped in thick smoke. While police and fire personnel initially believed there were no casualties, the victims were found on Monday as workers cleared fire-damaged debris. Investigators suspect the pair fled to the first floor in an attempt to escape when the blaze started on Saturday night.
The incident began with a series of explosions involving more than 20 gas cylinders at an oil and lubricant shop on Abbigere Main Road. Reports indicate that a gas leak during an alleged illegal cylinder-refilling operation triggered the fire. The shop stored domestic gas cylinders, small commercial cylinders, and inflammable substances including petrol and kerosene, which intensified the blaze and scattered debris across the surrounding area. Gangammagudi police have registered a case regarding the incident.
