Mysuru:  A City Court on Thursday has sentenced a man to life imprisonment for torturing his live-in partner with burning cigarettes and then killing her after setting her ablaze.

37-year-old Krishna alias Krishnamurthy of Hura in Nanjangud taluk is the one who has been sentenced. Krishna was accused of setting ablaze Suvarna (31), a resident of Kumbarakoppal in the city in Sept. 2014.

Krishnamurthy and Suvarna started living together after both had abandoned their spouses.

After a couple of years, Krishnamurthy who suspected Suvarna’s fidelity had picked up a quarrel with her. He then  inflicted cigarette burns before setting her on fire.

Suvarna, who ran out of the house after she was set afire, was rushed to K.R. Hospital, where she died on Sept. 25, 2014.

Krishnamurthy was caught by his neighbours when he was trying to escape after committing the crime. In her dying declaration which was videographed, Suvarna had accused Krishnamurthy of killing her.

The jurisdictional Metagalli Police who investigated the case had submitted a charge-sheet against Krishnamurthy to the Court.

The VII Additional District and Sessions Court Judge C. Chandrashekar who heard the case, sentenced Krishnamurthy to life imprisonment.

Public Prosecutor P.P. Mahantappa argued on behalf of the State.