Woman dismembered and stored in a fridge, landlord finds out due to unbearable stench, police launches probe
A 29-year-old woman from Jharkhand, identified as Mahalakshmi, was discovered dismembered and stored in a refrigerator in her flat located in Bengaluru's Vyalikaval area. The grim discovery was made on Saturday by the landlord, who entered the apartment to investigate a persistent foul odor that had been affecting the neighborhood for over two days.
Upon opening the 165-litre refrigerator, he found 30 pieces of her body, along with signs of dried blood. Initially, neighbors believed the smell was due to spoiled food, but as it intensified, they alerted Jayaram, the flat's owner. The police have indicated that Mahalakshmi was likely murdered four to five days prior to the discovery, with her mobile phone last active on September 12.
Mahalakshmi had been living alone in the apartment for about five months following domestic issues with her husband, Hemant Das, who resides separately with their daughter. The police are currently questioning him as part of their investigation. Additional Commissioner of Police N Satheesh Kumar confirmed the identification of the victim and stated that a thorough investigation is underway, with forensic teams examining the crime scene.
The case bears similarities to the notorious murder of Shraddha Walkar in Delhi in 2022, where her body was also dismembered and disposed of by her partner.