The body of a 35-year-old model was found on an isolated road near the back gate of the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru on July 31 by a man passing by, who had immediately alerted the police. It has now been determined that an Ola cab driver was responsible for the murder.

Pooja Singh Dey was a model/event manager from Kolkata who had come to Bengaluru for an event on July 30. Pooja had booked an Ola cab the same afternoon, driven by the accused, identified as Rajesh (22), to be dropped off at a hotel in Hosur road. She had called the same driver at 4 am on July 31 to drop her off at the airport and had apparently agreed to pay Rs. 1200 for the ride. As soon as she fell asleep in the backseat, Rajesh had taken her to an isolated spot and hit her with a jack rod before trying to rob her of her valuables. When Pooja got off the cab after regaining consciousness and tried to make her escape, the driver chased her and stabbed her multiple times in the chest and abdomen before smashing her head with a stone.

When the police determined after an investigation that Pooja had booked an Ola cab the previous day, they interrogated the accused, who confessed to the murder after denying the same initially. Police are still investigating the case to find out if Rajesh had the intention of sexually assaulting her as he took her to an isolated spot. The accused has been arrested and remanded in judicial custody.