‘Petrol bottles, power cut, exits locked’: How man trapped branch manager in LIC building and set her ablaze; tried to mask it as mishap | Chennai News

CHENNAI: What was first believed to be a tragic fire accident inside a Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) office in Madurai has now been exposed as a meticulously planned murder. A month after senior branch manager A Kalyani Nambi, 54, was found charred to death inside her office cabin, investigators have arrested her colleague, assistant administrative officer D Ram, 46, accusing him of setting her on fire to eliminate her and destroy incriminating files. The incident occurred on the night of December 17 at the LIC building on West Veli Street, a busy commercial area in the city. Ram, who also suffered burn injuries in the blaze, had initially told police that an unidentified masked man entered the office to rob Kalyani of her jewellery and then set the premises ablaze. Police say that account later unravelled.

According to investigators, Ram’s statements during questioning were inconsistent. A breakthrough came after officers recovered plastic water bottles filled with petrol from his cabin, along with a tube used to siphon fuel from his motorcycle. Another crucial detail emerged from Kalyani’s family. Her son told police that his mother had called him moments before her death, asking him to alert the police, suggesting she sensed imminent danger. These details prompted police to re-examine the case as a homicide.

Motive: pending death claims

Police say the motive lay in professional conflict. Several insurance agents had complained to Kalyani that Ram was sitting on over 40 death claim files for an extended period. When she confronted him and warned that she would escalate the matter to senior officials, investigators say Ram decided to kill her and destroy the documents.

A staged blackout

According to police reconstruction, the murder was carefully staged. At around 8.30pm, Ram allegedly cut off the main power supply to the building and sent an email to the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board reporting a fault. He then chained the main glass entrance, cutting off access to the lobby. When the lights went out, Kalyani noticed someone attempting to lock the door. Police say she shouted for help. Moments later, Ram entered her cabin, poured petrol on her, and set her on fire. The flames quickly engulfed the room, leaving her no chance to escape. Investigators say Ram then set fire to his own cabin to make the incident appear accidental, sustaining burn injuries in the process.

Confession and charges

After sustained interrogation, police say Ram confessed to the murder. He was arrested late Monday night from his residence and admitted to Government Rajaji Hospital for treatment. The initial case registered as an accidental fire has now been altered to include charges of murder, destruction of evidence, failure to report an offence, and giving false information, under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with provisions of the Tamil Nadu Public Property (Prevention of Destruction and Loss) Act. Police say the investigation is continuing, including scrutiny of the destroyed files and Ram’s role in the pending insurance claims.