The brutal murder of Mahalakshmi, a 29-year-old woman whose dismembered body was found stored in a fridge in her Bengaluru apartment, has shocked the nation. Her estranged husband, Hemant Das, has alleged that Mahalakshmi was involved in an extramarital affair, suggesting her lover may be involved in the gruesome crime.
Hemant Das, who had been living separately from Mahalakshmi for nine months, claimed that his wife was having an affair with a man from Uttarakhand. He suggested that the lover could be linked to her murder. In an interview, Das revealed that a complaint had been lodged months earlier at the Nelamangala police station, where the man was warned to stay away from Bengaluru.
“I filed a complaint against him… It was mandated that he must not come to Bengaluru. But I don’t know where else they went,” Das told India Today.
Bengaluru Police Commissioner B. Dayananda confirmed that the prime suspect in the case has been identified. Speaking at a press conference, he said efforts are underway to arrest the individual. “He’s an outsider. We can’t give more information as it may help the accused,” Dayananda stated, refraining from divulging further details.
Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara said that police had gathered substantial information, with suspicion falling on a man reportedly from West Bengal. “One individual… he is the one. Unless we collect more information, we can’t really say,” the minister added.
Parameshwara also addressed concerns about women’s safety in Bengaluru, noting that the government has taken measures like installing CCTV cameras in key areas to protect women.
It has been reported that Mahalakshmi had previously filed a complaint against Hemant Das in February, accusing him of assault. Meanwhile, Hemant also lodged a complaint, alleging that she was involved with another man. The police registered a Non-Cognisable Report (NCR) at the time, and efforts were made by family members to resolve the couple’s disputes.
Hemant and Mahalakshmi had been married for six years and have a daughter. Their domestic troubles had led to their separation nine months prior to the murder. Speaking about their relationship, Hemant said, “They both had an extra-marital affair… For the last nine months, we were separated.”
Mahalakshmi’s dismembered body was discovered in her rented one-bedroom apartment in Bengaluru’s Malleswaram area, cut into over 30 pieces and stored in a refrigerator. Police suspect that the murder occurred around a week prior to the discovery.
Police officials sealed off the area and began an investigation, suspecting that the murder was premeditated and executed with extreme brutality. “It appeared to have been done 4-5 days ago,” said Additional Commissioner of Police N. Satheesh Kumar.
The gruesome murder has drawn comparisons to the 2022 case of Shraddha Walker, who was killed by her live-in partner, Aftab Poonawalla. In a shocking act of violence, Poonawalla dismembered Walker’s body into 35 pieces, storing them in a fridge before disposing of them across Delhi over several weeks.
As the investigation continues, police are looking into all possible angles, including the involvement of Mahalakshmi’s alleged lover. The case has ignited widespread public outrage and renewed discussions about women’s safety and domestic violence in the country.
Authorities are hopeful that further evidence will lead to the swift arrest of the prime suspect.
