Prime suspect of Bengaluru woman's gruesome murder found dead in Odisha; suicide note has confession

The accused in the gruesome murder of 29-year-old Mahalakshmi, whose dismembered body was discovered in a fridge at her Vyalikaval home, has reportedly died by suicide in Odisha, according to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Bengaluru) Shekar H Tekkannavar.

This development follows Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara's statement earlier on Wednesday, indicating that police had traced the prime suspect to Odisha. Parameshwara, speaking to reporters, confirmed that several police teams had been deployed to apprehend the accused. "We have taken the case very seriously, as the murder had shaken the entire Bengaluru," he said, as quoted by PTI. He further noted, "Already the police have identified that the person is in Odisha and have gathered information that he is behind the crime. Police have sent three to four teams there."

Mahalakshmi’s body, which had been chopped into 50 pieces, was found by her mother and elder sister on Saturday. The disturbing scene came to light when the victim’s mother, Meena Rana, was informed of a foul smell by the owner of the building. Speaking to the media, she said, “When I came and opened the door, I saw the body of Mahalakshmi cut into pieces. I saw her for the last time at the Rakshabandhan festival. Since then, her phone had been switched off."

The victim had been living alone in her flat, and her estranged husband had earlier raised suspicions about a man known to Mahalakshmi who resided in the neighbourhood. Mahalakshmi’s elder sister demanded justice, stating, "Who cuts a woman into pieces like this? I saw her a year ago. Now I saw her in pieces."

The brutality of the case has drawn comparisons to the 2022 Shraddha Walkar murder in Delhi, where Walkar's body was chopped into 35 pieces by her live-in partner and stored in a refrigerator. 

Addressing worries about women's safety in Bengaluru, Parameshwara noted the implementation of initiatives like the Nirbhaya programme, CCTV installation, and increased vigilance in the city's police stations. 'We have taken measures, but we still don't know how to categorize these incidents. We have already instructed all police stations to be particularly vigilant regarding women's safety,' he stated.