Bengaluru Police have named a colleague of Mahalakshmi as the prime suspect in her alleged murder that has sent shockwaves across the country. Sources close to the police indicated that the suspect, who has been identified as Mukti, had earlier worked with Mahalakshmi and was reportedly miffed at her close relationship with another man, whose identity has not been disclosed.
Earlier in the week, Mahalakshmi’s estranged husband voiced suspicions involving a man known as Ashraf, whom he identified as her lover. Grisly remains of Mahalakshmi, 29, a saleswoman, was found as her body had been hacked into more than 50 pieces and kept in a refrigerator at her one-bedroom apartment in Malleshwaram, Bengaluru, on September 21. The horrifying details have left the community stunned.
Police are desperately searching for Mukti, whose mobile phone is switched off, and efforts are being made to trace him in places near the Odisha-West Bengal border. Police have not revealed his surname. At a press conference in Bengaluru on September 23, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara revealed that the prime accused is an Odisha native but has been residing in Bengaluru. Police have not arrested him yet, and there are hints that he could be in West Bengal.
Mahalakshmi had last gone to work on September 1, and according to her family, her mobile phone was switched off from September 2 onwards. Her mother and elder sister traced the body of Mahalakshmi on September 21.
The post-mortem report said Mahalakshmi’s body was chopped into 59 pieces. Samples of toxicology have been taken from her intestine, which has been sent for examination to know if she was poisoned before her murder. Forensic teams are examining the fingerprints found on the refrigerator.
Mahalakshmi’s mother recalled last seeing her daughter during the Rakshabandhan festival.
“The building owner called me, complaining about some bad smell from her flat. I came and opened the door to find Mahalakshmi’s body cut into pieces. Her phone has been off since that festival,”
Meena Rana said.
The elder sister of Mahalakshmi, seeking justice, condemned the brutality: “Who could do something so horrific to a woman? I saw her just a year ago; now, I can only see her in pieces.
Mahalakshmi’s estranged husband, Hemanth, has now filed a complaint against Ashraf, stating that Mahalakshmi was in an extramarital relationship with him. “Ashraf hails from Uttarakhand and was having an illegal relationship with Mahalakshmi. I was unaware of this relationship until April or May 2023, though she was in constant contact with him,” Hemanth added.
