Fresh and shocking details have emerged in the case of the alleged murder of the 29-year-old girl in Bengaluru, with her estranged husband claiming Mahalakshmi was involved in an illicit relationship which might have led to her murder.
Hemanth- Mahalakshmi’s estranged husband– addressed reporters of the local media and claimed she had been staying with one Ashraf, a native of Uttarakhand. He also claimed that an FIR was filed against Ashraf some months ago, though the details of that case are not known.
The beheaded body parts of Mahalakshmi-at least 59 amputated human parts recovered from a refrigerator is the gruesome discovery brought to light on September 21, following complaints of a foul odor emanating from her apartment in Malleshwaram. When the flat was opened, Mahalakshmi’s maggot-covered body sent her mother and sister into shock.
Following the tragic incident, Hemanth said, Mahalakshmi’s family filed a fresh complaint against Ashraf, suspecting his hand behind the murder. “I have filed a complaint against Ashraf,” he confirmed, adding, “He had an extra-marital affair with Mahalakshmi.”
He also said that he came to know about the extra-marital relationship in April/May 2023, though his wife Mahalakshmi never told him about the relationship. Ashraf was a worker in a barber’s shop, according to Hemanth.
The couple married six years ago and has a four-year-old daughter. However, they have been living separately for the last nine months following continued domestic disputes.
Meena Rana, Mahalakshmi’s mother, spoke about the fateful moment when she was informed about her daughter’s end. “The landlord told me about the foul smell. I opened the door to find Mahalakshmi’s body cut into pieces,” she said. She last saw her daughter during the Rakshabandhan festival and noted that Mahalakshmi’s phone had been switched off since then.
The elder sister of the victim demanded justice, citing that the crime was too brutal.
“Who cuts a woman into pieces like this? I saw her a year ago, and now I see her in pieces,”
she lamented.
Bengaluru City Police Commissioner B Dayananda confirmed that the police identified a prime suspect, who the police believe hails from Odisha but resides in Bengaluru. Though the police have not arrested him yet, they suspect he could be in West Bengal.
“We are probing the Mahalakshmi case from all angles. We have identified the prime suspect and are working to apprehend him,”
Dayananda said.
As the community comes to grips with the shocking details of the case, several investigation teams have fanned out into the field in different parts of India in search of those guilty of this heinous crime.
