'Let's Die Together': Woman Escapes Abduction Bid As Karnataka Man Dies In Explosive Car Blast

New Delhi: A woman narrowly escaped an alleged abduction and murder attempt after a man carrying suspected crude explosives died in a powerful car blast on the Bengaluru-Pune National Highway in Karnataka's Tumakuru district on Saturday, police said.

The woman and the cab driver managed to flee moments before the explosion, while the accused was burnt to death inside the vehicle.

The deceased has been identified as Nagendra, a native of Uttara Kannada district. Police said he had allegedly been pressuring 24-year-old Ramya Nayak, an operation theatre technician at Sanjay Gandhi Hospital in Bengaluru, to marry him despite her distancing herself from the relationship in recent months.

According to the preliminary investigation, Nagendra allegedly went to Ramya's rented accommodation in Bengaluru, threatened her with a knife and forced her into a cab bound for Ankola.

Her roommate alerted the police, who tracked the vehicle through CCTV footage and contacted the cab driver, asking him to stop at the nearest police station or highway patrol unit.

Police said Nagendra overheard the conversation, became agitated and allegedly told Ramya, "Let's die together." He then reportedly stabbed her with a knife before pulling out suspected crude bombs from his pocket.

As panic gripped the cab, the driver stopped the vehicle by the roadside, allowing both him and the injured woman to escape. Seconds later, a massive explosion ripped through the car, killing Nagendra instantly and engulfing the vehicle in flames.

Ramya sustained knife injuries and was admitted to a hospital, where she is undergoing treatment. The cab driver escaped unharmed.

Tumakuru Superintendent of Police Ashok KV said forensic experts are examining the scene to determine the exact nature of the explosive and establish what triggered the blast.

Investigators are probing whether the incident was a planned murder-suicide linked to the relationship dispute. A case has been registered, and further investigation is underway.

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