What began as a joyful trip to attend a friend’s engagement ended in unimaginable horror. A young IT professional from Bengaluru checked into a quiet homestay in Chikmagalur last October. Hours later, she was gone. For four months, questions swirled around her “mysterious” death. Now, a post-mortem report has ripped away the uncertainty — and what it reveals is chilling.
This wasn’t fate. It wasn’t a sudden illness. It was carbon monoxide.
And now, the law is catching up.
💔 1. A Celebration That Turned Into a Nightmare
Ranjita, a Bengaluru-based tech professional working at a reputed IT firm, had travelled on october 25 to attend her friend’s engagement ceremony. She was staying at Hipla Homestay in Handi Machchandanahalli village near Aldur in Chikmagalur taluk — a scenic getaway that should have been safe.
It was supposed to be a short stay. A happy occasion. A simple trip.
Instead, it became her last.
🚪 2. The Locked Bathroom Door
At some point during her stay, Ranjita went to take a bath.
Minutes passed. Then more.
When she didn’t return for an unusually long time, her friends grew worried. Their concern quickly turned to panic. They forced open the bathroom door.
Inside, they found her unconscious.
She was rushed to the hospital immediately. Doctors tried. But it was too late.
☠️ 3. The “Mysterious” Death That Wasn’t
Initially, the circumstances around her death were unclear. There were no visible injuries. No obvious explanation.
But the post-mortem report has now delivered the grim truth.
Ranjita died due to exposure to carbon monoxide, a highly poisonous, colorless, odorless gas.
A silent killer.
🔥 4. The Gas Geyser That Allegedly Became a Death Trap
Investigators say the carbon monoxide leaked from a gas geyser installed inside the bathroom.
Here’s where it gets disturbing:
The bathroom allegedly lacked proper ventilation.
Safety measures required during installation were reportedly ignored.
The enclosed space allowed the toxic gas to accumulate.
Carbon monoxide doesn’t warn you. You don’t smell it. You don’t see it. You simply lose consciousness.
By the time help arrives, it’s often too late.
⚖️ 5. Family Alleges Negligence
Ranjita’s family has accused the homestay owner of negligence, claiming basic safety protocols were not followed.
Their argument is simple — this was preventable.
A properly ventilated bathroom.
A correctly installed geyser.
Mandatory safety checks.
Any one of these could have changed the outcome.
🚨 6. FIR Registered Against Homestay Owner
The case has now taken a decisive legal turn.
An FIR has been registered against the homestay owner, Sudhakar, at the Aldur police station under relevant sections of the IPC.
What began as a “mystery” is now a negligence investigation.
And accountability may follow.
🌫️ 7. The Bigger Question: How Many More?
This tragedy is more than one case. It raises uncomfortable questions about:
Safety standards in homestays
Regulation of gas appliances in tourist accommodations
Routine inspections and compliance checks
Carbon monoxide deaths are silent. Invisible. Preventable.
Yet they continue.
💥 The Brutal Reality
Ranjita didn’t die by chance. She didn’t die because of illness.
She walked into a bathroom.
She turned on a geyser.
And she never walked out.
Now, four months later, the silence has been broken.
But for her family, the loss is permanent.
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