Mahalakshmi Murder Mystery:
The gruesome murder of Shraddha Walker in Delhi is fresh in public memory. Shraddha, 27, was killed by her boyfriend, Aftab Amin Poonawalla, 28, on May 18, 2022. The entire nation was left in shock at the method used to dispose of Shraddha's body. Now, a similar bone-chilling murder case has emerged from Bengaluru that will surely send shivers down your spine.
Bengaluru's Vyalikaval area. On 6th Cross Pipeline Road sits a three-storeyed building. In one of its rooms was a 165-liter single door fridge. Inside that fridge, for 19 long days, the body of 29-year-old Mahalakshmi was severed into about 30 to 40 pieces. Some parts even lay on the floor outside the fridge. The Bengaluru police couldn't remember encountering such a terrifying crime scene before. Initially, the officers were so overwhelmed that they stepped out of the room. The forensic team later had to call in medical staff from a government hospital to clean up the room.
Mahalakshmi Had Been Renting for Five Months
The room's door was finally opened on the past Saturday, September 21, at around 3:30 PM. Mahalakshmi had moved in as a tenant on the first floor of the building just five months ago. She hailed from Nepal and lived alone. She wasn't well-known to her neighbors because she would leave her house every morning at 9:30 and return after 10:30 at night. Her mother and sister lived in Bengaluru. After September 2, Mahalakshmi's phone was switched off, causing concern for her mother and sister, who kept trying to reach her.
Neighbors Complained About the Stench
On September 20, some neighbors reported a foul smell emanating from Mahalakshmi's closed room to the building owner. Mahalakshmi had listed her mother and sister as emergency contacts during the rental agreement. The landlord contacted her mother, informing her of the stench coming from Mahalakshmi's room. Her mother, who hadn't heard from her in 19 days, panicked. She had a spare key and immediately went with her other daughter to Mahalakshmi's room.
Blood and Flesh Pieces Were Strewn on the Floor
In the presence of the landlord and neighbors, they unlocked the door, and an overpowering stench forced everyone to step back. Gaining courage, they went inside to find blood stains all over the floor, with tiny pieces of flesh scattered around. A dried trail of blood led to the fridge. As soon as the fridge door was opened, everyone screamed and rushed out. What they saw inside was horrifying.
Source: aajtak
Two Human Legs and a Head Were in the Fridge
Realizing the gravity of the situation, the landlord immediately called the police, who arrived shortly. The stench, however, was so strong that they had to double-mask themselves. Upon re-entering the room, they found two human legs in the top compartment of the fridge, various body parts in the middle compartment, and a human head in the lower compartment—Mahalakshmi's head.
Morgue Staff Called to Collect the Body Parts
Spotting further pieces of flesh on the floor, the police called in the Forensic Science Laboratory and Scene of Crime Officers. They enlisted additional help from the morgue staff to collect evidence. It was estimated that there were approximately 30 to 40 body parts scattered across the fridge and floor. The remains were then sent to the morgue.
Who Killed Mahalakshmi?
The room was thoroughly searched, and Mahalakshmi's mobile phone was found on her bed. Upon checking the call detail records, it was revealed that the last call was made on September 2. The police inferred that the murder likely occurred between September 2 and 3. The mystery deepened as they pondered who could have committed such a brutal act.
Mahalakshmi Separated from Her Husband in 2023
According to Mahalakshmi's mother and sister, until 2019, the family lived in Nepal. She married Hemant Das, a boy from Nepal, and they moved to Bengaluru for a better life. Hemant worked at a mobile shop while Mahalakshmi secured a job as a team leader at a beauty shop in a well-known mall. They lived together with their daughter until 2023, when they separated. Mahalakshmi moved to a rented place in Vyalikaval, living alone, though she occasionally visited her daughter at Hemant's place.
Hemant Suspected Mahalakshmi of Infidelity
The investigation revealed that Hemant suspected Mahalakshmi was involved with a hairdresser named Ashraf from Uttarakhand. This suspicion led to frequent arguments and their eventual separation. Mahalakshmi then moved out to live independently.
Source: aajtak
A Stranger Raised Suspicions
Mahalakshmi barely interacted with her neighbors, leaving home early and returning late. However, neighbors occasionally saw a stranger picking her up and dropping her off. The police were now trying to identify this mysterious person who may be connected to the murder.
Extensive Interrogations of Husband and Hairdresser
The police interrogated both Hemant and Ashraf extensively, but neither seemed involved in the murder. Their phone records from September 2 to 19 also provided no leads. Thus, the mystery of who killed Mahalakshmi persisted.
Focus Shifted to the Stranger
With Mahalakshmi's call records pointing towards the stranger, the police hinted they knew his identity and even his whereabouts post-murder. They refrained from disclosing his name to avoid alerting him. The police assured that once apprehended, the stranger would unravel the entire case.
Police Theory Holds Ground
The investigation suggested that Mahalakshmi was likely killed in her room as it was improbable to move a body unnoticed to the first floor. The police believed that a sedative might have been used before the murder, explaining why no noise was heard.
Source: aajtak
The Killer Wasn't Rushed
The meticulous dismemberment of Mahalakshmi's body suggested that the killer wasn't in a hurry and might have stayed in the flat for hours, possibly overnight. Curiously, no one saw the killer leaving the premises.
Police Reviewing CCTV Footage
The police were thoroughly examining CCTV footage from cameras around the building. They were optimistic that at least one camera might have captured the killer.
Mahalakshmi Case Resembles Delhi's Shraddha Murder Case
The Mahalakshmi murder case parallels the infamous 2022 Shraddha murder case where her body remained in a fridge for a month while the killer, Aftab, disposed of the parts gradually. Mahalakshmi, like Shraddha, lived separately from her husband. The final answers await the arrest of the identified stranger.
