Bengaluru woman's dismemberment case: Police identify ‘outsider’ as prime suspect in gruesome murder

NEW DELHI: The prime suspect in the horrific murder of a 29-year-old woman, whose dismembered body was found stuffed into a refrigerator, has been identified by the authorities, said Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda on Monday.

"It is being investigated from all angles. The prime suspect has been identified, and efforts are underway to arrest him," said Commissioner Dayananda at a press conference. While he did not provide specific details, the commissioner said, "He's an outsider. We can't give more information as of now as it may help the accused."

The gruesome discovery was made on September 21 at the woman’s rented residence in Vinayaka Nagar, Vyalikaval, where her decomposing body was found. The victim, Mahalakshmi, had been living alone in the house for the past five months. According to Shekar H Tekkannavar, deputy commissioner of police for Central Bengaluru, the body parts were severely decomposed, leading investigators to believe the murder occurred about two weeks prior.

Karnataka home minister G Parameshwara confirmed that the police have collected "a lot of clues" and suspect a man reportedly from West Bengal to be behind the crime. However, the minister emphasized that more evidence is required before making any conclusions. "The police have collected a lot of information, a lot of clues. One individual is also... kind of they say he is the one. Unless we collect more information, we can't really say. He is from West Bengal, they say," Parameshwara said.

When asked about the government's efforts to enhance women's safety in Bengaluru, Parameshwara highlighted various initiatives in place. "We have already taken a lot of precautions for women's safety in Bengaluru. We are very careful about it. We have installed CCTV where a lot of women go. These kinds of steps we have taken," he assured.

The murder has sparked political backlash, with the BJP launching a scathing attack on the Congress-led Karnataka government. The state unit of the BJP accused the Siddaramaiah administration of failing to maintain law and order, citing the murder as evidence.

"Under @INCKarnataka rule, appeasement policies have led to a complete collapse of law and order. The brutal murder of Mahalakshmi by Ashraf is a clear reminder that Kannadigas are no longer safe in this Hitler-led @siddaramaiah government," the official BJP Karnataka handle posted on X.

The BJP further alleged that Congress’s opposition to anti-love Jihad laws was driven by vote bank politics.

As the investigation continues, the police remain tight-lipped about additional details but are focused on apprehending the suspect and gathering conclusive evidence.

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