Bengaluru Fridge Murder Case: Who Was The Man Staying With Mahalakshmi In Her Rented Home?

In a horrifying incident, a 29-year-old woman was brutally murdered, her body dismembered, and the remains stuffed into the fridge of her rented house in Vinayaka Nagar, Vyalikaval in Bengaluru. The victim, identified as Mahalakshmi from Nelamangala, had been living alone in the house for the past five months while working at a mall in the city.

Police suspect the murder may have occurred about two weeks ago, as the body was in an advanced state of decomposition, with worms found in the remains.

The crime came to light when neighbors alerted the police about a foul odor coming from the locked house. Upon investigating, officers contacted the victim's family using details provided by the landlord. Family members arrived and, to their horror, discovered Mahalakshmi's dismembered body parts inside the refrigerator.

Forensic teams and police investigators recovered Mahalakshmi's mobile phone, which had been switched off since September 2. Based on the condition of the body and electronic evidence gathered at the scene, police believe she was murdered and dismembered inside the house before the body parts were hidden in the fridge.

Mahalakshmi, originally from Nepal, had been married to a man named Hemanth Das for five years. The couple shared a four-year-old child. However, their relationship had soured, and Mahalakshmi left him to live independently in Bengaluru. She had been working as a salesperson in a mall and was largely reclusive, avoiding much interaction with her neighbors.

According to her brother Sunil, who works in Koramangala, Mahalakshmi had not been in touch with him for days. "I was informed by a relative and came to check on her. We had not spoken or seen each other for some time," he said to the media.

A neighbor recalled that Mahalakshmi had moved into the building's first floor five months ago. "She was hardly home, leaving around 9:30 a.m. and returning after 10:30 p.m. A man who claimed to be her brother stayed with her for a few days, but we didn't know she was married," the neighbor mentioned.

Police are now investigating her workplace to determine why no one had inquired about her absence from work. Officers are also following up on reports of a man who frequently visited her and picked her up.

Suspect Hiding In West Bengal?

A case of murder has been registered, and authorities are working to track down the man who is suspected to be involved. Investigators are also analyzing her call records to locate the prime suspect, believed to be her male acquaintance.

According to latest reports, the investigation has revealed significant clues about the suspected killer. Police have ruled out her husband as a suspect and identified a friend of Mahalakshmi's, originally from an eastern state and currently working in Bengaluru, as the prime suspect.

A report on TOI indicate that the suspect has confessed to a family member about his involvement in Mahalakshmi's death and is believed to be hiding in West Bengal. A police team has been dispatched to arrest him.

Authorities also reported that the accused had dismembered Mahalakshmi's body into nearly 50 pieces. Following a postmortem, her remains were returned to her family on Sunday afternoon. Investigators suspect that the dismemberment occurred elsewhere, with the body parts transported to her residence and subsequently stored in the fridge.

"There were no blood stains found in the toilet, bedroom, or living room, nor any evidence suggesting the suspect cleaned up afterward," a police officer stated. "A suitcase was located next to her sleeping mat, and we are examining whether the accused attempted to conceal her body inside it," the officer added.