Shraddha Walkar 2.0: Bengaluru Woman's Body Found Stuffed In Fridge, Was Chopped Into 30 Pieces

A gruesome discovery was made in Bengaluru's Vyalikaval area on Saturday when the dismembered body of a woman, identified as 29-year-old Mahalakshmi, was found stored in a refrigerator in her flat.

Police recovered 30 body parts from the 165-litre refrigerator, though they are still working to confirm whether more remains are yet to be found.

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Mahalakshmi, originally from Jharkhand, had been living alone in the flat for the past five months following a domestic dispute with her husband, Hemant Das.

The couple, who have a four-year-old daughter, previously resided together in Nelamangala. After their separation, Mahalakshmi moved into a one-bedroom apartment on the first floor of the Vyalikaval building.

The police were alerted to the crime by neighbors, who initially believed that the foul smell emanating from the flat was due to rotten food.

According to a police officer, the neighbors disregarded the stench at first, but it soon became unbearable. Eventually, they approached the building owner, Jayaram, who lives on an upper floor, to check on the situation.

When he unlocked the door, which was locked from the outside, the smell intensified. Upon opening the refrigerator, Jayaram discovered the dismembered remains of Mahalakshmi and immediately informed the police and her family.

Additional Commissioner of Police (West) N Satheesh Kumar stated that it appears Mahalakshmi was murdered four or five days prior to the discovery. A police officer noted that pinpointing the exact time of her death is challenging due to the body being kept in the refrigerator.

"We have collected details from the place where she worked to know which was her last working day and are investigating further," the officer said. They are also looking into her mobile phone records, which show that her phone has been switched off since September 12.

Mahalakshmi's brother, Sunil, who lives nearby, was informed of the murder by the building's owners. He expressed shock at the brutal killing.

Neighbors described Mahalakshmi as someone who kept to herself, rarely interacting with others in the building. According to one neighbor, she usually left for work around 9:30 a.m. and returned late in the evening around 10:30 p.m.

Police have formed eight teams to investigate the case and have identified some suspects. Hemant Das, Mahalakshmi's estranged husband who works in Nelamangala and lives with their daughter, is currently being questioned by the authorities.

"We are questioning Hemant. We have taken her call details records and CCTV footage from the area for further analysis," the police said, as they continue to pursue leads in the investigation.

Forensic teams have collected samples from the scene, and police are analysing the evidence to determine the exact circumstances surrounding Mahalakshmi's death.