Accused in Bengaluru murder case found dead by suicide

Bhubaneswar: Mukti Pratap Ray, the prime suspect in the recent brutal murder of Bengaluru’s Mahalaxmi, was found dead in a graveyard in his native village Kuleipada in Bhadrak district of Odisha on Wednesday evening. He committed suicide.

Local police confirmed the incident and also discovered a chilling suicide note in which Mukti confessed to the gruesome crime.

In his note, Mukti admitted to murdering Mahalaxmi and dismembering her body into 59 pieces, which he kept in a refrigerator. Bengaluru police had earlier identified Mukti, a colleague of Mahalaxmi, as the prime suspect after her mutilated remains were discovered in her apartment last week.

The crime has sent shockwaves across the country. Mahalaxmi’s body, carefully dismembered into 59 pieces, was found in a refrigerator in her one-room apartment after neighbors complained of a foul smell. The dismemberment suggested a carefully planned crime, leading investigators to quickly identify Mukti as the prime suspect.

According to police sources, Mukti’s motive is related to Mahalaxmi’s affair with another man, but the identity of that person remained secret.

A report said that Mukti had expressed her opposition to Mahalaxmi’s relationship, which may have been the trigger for the crime.

Adding to the complexity of the case, Mahalaxmi’s estranged husband Hemanth Das recently claimed that a man named Ashraf from Uttarakhand was involved in the murder. Hemanth claimed that Ashraf had an extramarital relationship with Mahalaxmi, which he said played a significant role in her death. However, Bengaluru Police have not confirmed Ashraf’s involvement at this stage of the investigation.

Mahalaxmi, a 29-year-old saleswoman, had been missing since early September. Her body was discovered on September 21 after neighbors informed authorities about the unpleasant smell coming from her apartment. Investigators are currently conducting toxicology tests to determine whether Mahalaxmi was poisoned before her dismemberment.

Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara confirmed that Mukti, who hails from Odisha, had been living in Bengaluru before fleeing the city. Authorities launched a search for him and tracked his movements along the Odisha-West Bengal border until his body was found.

The investigation is still ongoing. Police are analyzing fingerprints and other forensic evidence collected at the crime scene. Mahalaxmi’s devastated family continues to demand justice.