Four people burned a woman to death near Soladevanahalli on the city’s outskirts on Thursday night after dousing her with kerosene.
Ravikala (25), a house-keeping staffer at the M S Ramaiah Hospital, was drying clothes between her house and her neighbour’s when the four picked up a quarrel with her over it and killed her.
Munitayamma (45), Manja (25), Murali (26) and Roopa (24) have been arrested.
According to police, the incident occurred at Janata Colony of Doddabele village when Ravikala was alone at home after returning from work. Ravikala and her husband Narasimha Murthy, a cab driver, had moved in four months ago as they could not afford life in the city.
The four accused, who were her neighbours, objected to Ravikala tying a clothes line in front of her house.
They often quarrelled over the issue saying the wet clothes were obstructing them every time they passed in front of her house. On Thursday, when Ravikala was drying clothes, Munitayamma started abusing her.
When Ravikala protested, her sons Manja, Murali and daughter Roopa started attacking her. Ravikala managed to run into her house and bolted the door.
Manja kicked the door open and barged in. Munitayamma poured kerosene on her as her sons and daughter attacked her. She then torched Ravikala.
Hearing Ravikala’s screams, her brother Ravikumar arrived on the scene and faced blows from the accused who prevented him from helping his sister. He watched helplessly as Ravikala burned to death, police said.
Ravikala’s two children — a four-year-old boy and a six-year-old girl — had gone to play in a field when the incident occurred. Narasimha Murthy was away in Bangalore.
Soladevanahalli police said the accused had no criminal background.
Police have booked a case under IPC Section 302 (murder) and 504 read with 34 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace). Soladevanahalli police are investigating.