A 30-year-old man, reportedly upset over his female friend breaking up with him, allegedly abducted her from Jayanagar and took her towards his hometown Ankola, during which he blew up the car they were travelling in using a “petrol bomb” like device, near Jogihalli in Sira taluk of Tumakuru district on Saturday.

While the man was charred to death, the girl, with the help of the car’s driver, escaped minutes before the explosion. They both sustained minor injuries and are undergoing treatment.

The deceased has been identified as Nagendra. The injured have been identified as Ramya and Praveen, the cab driver. Both were shifted to the Tumakuru District Hospital.

According to the police, the trio was travelling from Bengaluru towards Ankola in a cab when the vehicle exploded on National Highway-48. Preliminary investigations suggest that explosive material was kept inside the car. The blast triggered a major fire, leading to a traffic jam of more than a kilometre on the highway.

Investigators said Nagendra and Ramya were reportedly in a relationship and had been facing personal disputes for several days. Ramya had allegedly blocked Nagendra’s phone number following differences between them.

The police said Nagendra allegedly went to Ramya’s house in Jayanagar on Saturday, picked up a quarrel with her, and forcibly took her into the vehicle. Based on a complaint lodged by her parents, the Jayanagar Police had registered a kidnapping case.

During the journey, Nagendra allegedly threatened Ramya, saying he would kill her and then die himself. He also reportedly showed her a “petrol bomb” and continued threatening her.

Near Jogihalli in Sira taluk, Nagendra allegedly attacked Ramya with a knife inside the moving vehicle. The driver immediately stopped the cab, allowing Ramya to unlock the door and jump out to safety. Moments later, the car exploded and caught fire, killing Nagendra on the spot.

The police have reportedly recovered a bomb-like explosive material from the burnt vehicle and are conducting a detailed investigation to ascertain the nature of the explosives and the exact cause of the blast.

The Kallambella police have registered a case and further investigation is under way.

(If you are in distress or having suicidal tendencies, please reach out to these helplines: TeleMANAS at 1-8008914416/ 14416, NIMHANS at 08026685948, 9480829670 or SAHAI at 080 25497777, +91-9886444075)