Bengaluru, September 25: The prime suspect in the gruesome murder of 29-year-old Mahalakshmi, whose dismembered body was found in a fridge in her Bengaluru home, has allegedly died by suicide in Odisha. Mukti Ranjan Roy, believed by Bengaluru Police to have killed Mahalakshmi and chopped her body into 59 pieces, was found hanging from a tree in a village under Dhusuri Police Station in Bhadrak district on Wednesday.

Local authorities informed Bengaluru police, who had been searching for the suspect in Odisha. According to initial reports, Mukti visited his home village on Tuesday before disappearing. His body was later discovered on the village outskirts, and his family identified the remains. The body has been sent for a postmortem. Bengaluru Chop Horror: Mahalakshmi’s Colleague Mukti ‘Main Suspect’, Didn’t Like Her Closeness to Another Man, Says Report.

Earlier, Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara confirmed that police had tracked Mukti to Odisha. Multiple teams were dispatched to apprehend him, as he had been fleeing and changing locations. The case had gained significant attention due to the brutal nature of the crime, which deeply shocked Bengaluru. Bengaluru Chop Horror: Mahalakshmi’s Estranged Husband Suspects Lover’s Role in Horrific Murder.

Mahalakshmi's body was found by her mother and sister in her Vyalikaval home on Saturday. The murder suspect had been living in her neighbourhood and was allegedly known to the victim. Police had detained several people for questioning, but suspicion remained focused on Mukti, prompting an intense manhunt.

With his death, police are now investigating further details of the case, including possible motives and involvement of others.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 25, 2024 09:39 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).