BHUBANESWAR/BENGALURU: Mukti Ranjan Ray, prime suspect in Bengaluru's Mahalakshmi murder case in which the victim's body was chopped into "59 pieces", had planned to dispose of the remains after two-three months, his younger brother Satya claimed after 30-year-old allegedly died by suicide Wednesday in Odisha.
Mukti and Mahalakshmi (29), who was separated from her husband, worked together in a garments outlet in a Bengaluru mall. The two were in a relationship, with Mahalakshmi insisting that their ties culminate in marriage, leading to friction between the two, according to Mukti's brother Satya.
"My brother told me that he strangled her (Mahalakshmi) to death following a scuffle on September 3... At night, he chopped her body and stashed the pieces in the refrigerator," Satya said.
"Many times, she had physically assaulted me for not agreeing to marry... I was tired of her atrocities. So, I killed her," police said, quoting from the note found in Mukti's diary.
Police suspect Mukti took the extreme step fearing arrest. Bengaluru cops had been camping in Odisha for the past few days to nab him. According to Satya, Mahalakshmi frequently demanded money and jewellery.
"She was torturing him. Recently, the two of them had gone to Kerala where they had an altercation, following which she told police that my brother had kidnapped her. My brother was beaten up by police before they released him," Satya said.
Satya, whose statement was recorded by Bengaluru cops, claimed Mukti ended his life out of guilt.
Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India. Don't miss daily games like Crossword, Sudoku, and Mini Crossword.Debabrata Mohapatra is an Assistant Editor at The Times of India,...
Read MoreDebabrata Mohapatra is an Assistant Editor at The Times of India, Bhubaneswar. He had been writing for TOI from Puri since 2006 before joining the Bhubaneswar bureau in August 2010. He covers crime, law & order and Congress.
Read Less