Body of woman, 29, found chopped up and stacked in her own fridge

A woman's has been found chopped up and stacked inside a fridge sparking a murder investigation in India.

Mall worker Mahalakshmi’s remains were discovered at her home where she lived alone in Malleswaram, Bengaluru. Despite being married to her husband Hemant Das, the pair did not live together. Police officers made the gruesome discovery of the 29-year-old inside a fridge in the kitchen of the property during an investigation on September 21. Forensic specialists and the local police force's dog squad were immediately dispatched to the scene.

It is believed that the body was inside the fridge for a week. A murder investigation has been launched into the crime and police commissioner N. Satheesh Kumar stated: “A woman’s body was found chopped into pieces and stored in a fridge at a house within the Vyalikaval police station limits.

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“The body has been identified. The investigation is ongoing, and further details will be provided as it progresses. Although originally from another state, she had relocated to Karnataka.”

Mahalakshmi's husband claimed that his wife had an affair, reported local media. The couple were married for six years and had a daughter but they started living separately nine months ago. Mr Das said that he had met Mahalakshmi about a month ago when she visited the shop where he worked.

Speaking about the incident, Karnataka Home Minister Gangadharaiah Parameshwara said that the prime suspect of the case has been identified and will soon be arrested, reported India Today. "Already some information has been collected, which I cannot reveal now... but we will soon catch those involved in it," he reportedly said. "An individual, who they claim is the one (involved), but unless we have more information, we can't really confirm. He is from West Bengal, they say. As early as possible we will secure (those involved)."

Meanwhile, the woman's mother told India Today TV that she found out about the incident when her daughter's landlord called her about a foul smell coming from the property. "The owner had called us at night to inform us about a foul smell coming from the house. My daughter's body was cut and stuffed inside the fridge," Mahalakshmi's mother reportedly said.