The suspect in the murder case of 29-year-old Bengaluru woman Mahalakshmi, whose dismembered body was found in a fridge, was found dead on Wednesday in Odisha.
Mukti Ranjan Rai’s body was found hanging from a tree in Bhadrak district, where police also recovered a suicide note, reported India Today.
A bag, notebook, mobile phone and scooter were also recovered from the crime scene.
According to the suicide note, Rai, 30, who was also the victim’s lover, had an argument with her and in a “fit of rage” killed her and dismembered her body.
He wrote in his death note that he cut the body into 59 pieces and stuffed them in a fridge as he was fed up with her behaviour.
He also said he committed the crime on Sept 3 when he went to her house.
“I fought with her over personal matters and Mahalakshmi assaulted me. Enraged by her act, I killed her,” he wrote.
When Rai’s body was found, the Odisha Police did not know who he was. It was not until the Bengaluru Police called in the evening and asked about Rai’s whereabouts that the Odisha Police got to know that he was a murder suspect.
Bengaluru Police had been trying to locate Rai for two days, detaining his brother in the process. When Rai’s brother got a call from Odisha Police about his brother’s death, he informed the Bengaluru Police.
The murder case came to light on Sept 21 after neighbours noticed a foul smell emanating from Mahalaxmi’s house and informed her relatives.
Mahalakshmi’s mother and sister immediately went to the house and witnessed the horrifying scene.
Mahalakshmi used to live in a one-bedroom apartment in Bengaluru’s Vyalikaval area. She was married but lived separately from her husband.
