Dismembered Body of Woman of Nepali Origin Found in Bengaluru Flat; Police Investigation Progresses

HT with inputs from PTI and Agencies, Sep 22, 2024 : A gruesome incident in Bengaluru’s Vyalikaval area came to light on Saturday when the dismembered body of a 29-year-old woman was found inside a refrigerator in her flat. The victim, identified as Mahalakshmi, was originally from Kailali district of Nepal, but she was born and raised in Nelamangala on the outskirts of the city and was fluent in Kannada, an officer said. The woman worked as a salesgirl at a mall.

The body was discovered in a flat located near Veeranna Bhavana, close to Pipeline Road, within the limits of the Vyalikaval police station. Neighbours had reported a foul smell in the area for the past two days, initially assuming it came from rotten food. The smell became unbearable, prompting them to inform Jayaram, the owner of the flat who lives in the same building.

Upon entering the locked flat, Jayaram found the source of the stench in a refrigerator, where Mahalakshmi's dismembered body had been stored in 30 pieces. Police were immediately notified of the discovery.

Mahalakshmi had moved into the flat five months ago following a domestic separation from her husband, Hemant Das, with whom she had a four-year-old daughter. Hemant, who works at a mobile accessories store, resides separately in Nelamangala with their child but reportedly visited Mahalakshmi every fortnight.

Police sources say Mahalakshmi's murder occurred around four to five days ago. Her mother, who resides in Nelamangala, learned of the crime through the landlord. The body has been sent for an autopsy, and her mobile phone has been switched off since September 12.

Authorities are questioning Hemant and other individuals, including her colleagues and neighbors, to gather clues. The woman, who worked as a salesgirl at a mall, was reportedly frequently accompanied by a man who dropped her home, according to another source.

Neighbours described Mahalakshmi as someone who kept to herself and didn’t interact much with the community. Her brother had been staying with her for a few days prior to her death, according to the police.

Bengaluru police have formed eight special teams to investigate the crime and are combing through CCTV footage from the area. A canine unit and forensic specialists have also been deployed to assist in the probe. Preliminary reports indicate the crime occurred four to five days before the body was discovered.

Additional Commissioner of Police (West Zone) N. Satheesh Kumar stated, "A woman's body was found chopped into pieces and stored in a fridge at a house within the Vyalikaval police station limits. It appeared to have been done four to five days ago. The body has been identified, and the investigation is ongoing. We will provide more details as the probe progresses."

“When we entered the flat, maggots were crawling on the floor, which was sticky with blood that had dripped from the refrigerator door. The legs were placed on top of the fridge, while the remaining body parts were on the middle shelves. The head was found at the bottom,” officers reported.

The incident bears a chilling resemblance to the 2022 murder of Shraddha Walkar, whose live-in partner Aftab Poonawala dismembered her body and stored the pieces in a refrigerator for weeks.