Bengaluru Woman Murder: Victim's Phone Found at Home, Suspect Identified

Bengaluru: A day after a 29-year-old woman's chopped body was discovered inside a refrigerator in a room in Bengaluru, police on Monday confirmed they have identified the prime suspect. The woman’s body, allegedly cut into over 50 pieces, was found stuffed in a fridge, prompting immediate comparisons to the infamous Shraddha Walker murder case.

Addressing the media on Monday, Bengaluru Police Commissioner B. Dayananda said, “We are investigating all possible angles and have already identified the prime suspect. However, we will not reveal the details of the investigation at this stage, as it could hinder the investigation process. The suspect is not from Bengaluru; he is an outsider who had been staying in the city.”

The victim, Mahalakshmi, had been working at a mall in Malleswaram and was reportedly living apart from her husband, who worked in a hermitage outside the city. Police believe the crime took place 4-5 days before the body was discovered. On learning about the incident, her husband also arrived at the scene.

Earlier on Sunday, a shocking video had surfaced showing the victim's family, including her mother and sister, discovering the body. In the 44-second clip, they are seen entering the room, which had a foul smell. After opening the fridge, they found Mahalakshmi’s dismembered remains and ran out of the house in shock.

The area around the house was immediately cordoned off, and senior police officers, along with a dog squad and forensic experts, arrived at the scene to begin their investigation. Additional Commissioner of Police (West Zone) N. Satheesh Kumar said, "A woman's body was found chopped into pieces and stored in a fridge. It appeared to have been done 4-5 days ago." Kumar added that the victim had been living separately from her husband.

Police Probe Mahalakshmi's Mobile in Murder Case

Police authorities have recovered Mahalakshmi's mobile phone from the crime scene, found it switched off. Investigators are probing whether the victim herself turned it off or if the accused did so after the murder. Police are reviewing call records, social media activity, and WhatsApp chats, with plans to send the device to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) for further analysis.

NCW Takes Cognizance

The National Commission for Women (NCW) on Monday took cognizance on the matter and shared a post on X stating, “NCW has come across a media post titled ‘Woman’s Body Chopped Into 30 Pieces Found Inside Fridge In Bengaluru’ involving the gruesome death of a 26-year-old woman in Vyalikaval. The Commission has directed the state police to expedite the arrest of all involved and ensure a thorough, time-bound investigation. A detailed report is expected within 3 days.”

It added, “NCW is deeply concerned about reports of a woman's decomposed body found in Kurmahaat, Jharkhand , with allegations pointing to her male friend. The Commission has sought immediate action from the state police to conduct a thorough investigation and expedite action against the culprit/s. A detailed report must be provided to the Commission on the action taken within 3 days.”

This gruesome discovery in Bengaluru has drawn parallels to the 2022 murder of Shraddha Walker in Delhi, where 28-year-old Aftab Poonawalla allegedly strangled Walker and sawed her body into 35 pieces, storing them in a fridge before disposing of them over several weeks. This new case has sparked widespread shock and raised concerns over another brutal re-run of such a heinous crime.