Meena Rana, the 58-year-old mother of the woman whose chopped body was found stashed in a fridge in a flat in Bengaluru, has said in the FIR that the foul smell emanating from the house led to the revelation of the crime.
The woman said in her complaint that she used to visit her daughter, identified as Mahalakshmi Das, regularly. Recently, the victim's neighbour informed her brother, Ukkum Singh, about a stench coming out of the flat.
On Saturday, the family visited Mahalakshmi's house and found the door locked from outside.
They found the spare key from the landlord. She said in the FIR that she saw maggots outside the fridge after entering the flat. The smell was overpowering, and clothes were strewn in the apartment.
Also read: ‘30 pieces found in fridge’: Bengaluru police form eight special teams to probe woman's murder case - Report
"When we entered the apartment, we found that it was completely ransacked, with clothes, slippers, bags and a suitcase dumped in the living room. There were some maggots near the refrigerator and it looked as if there were blood stains as well. Upon opening the refrigerator, I ran outside in shock to inform my son-in-law Imran. He called the police immediately,” Meena Rana said in the complaint, according to the Indian Express.
{{/usCountry}}"When we entered the apartment, we found that it was completely ransacked, with clothes, slippers, bags and a suitcase dumped in the living room. There were some maggots near the refrigerator and it looked as if there were blood stains as well. Upon opening the refrigerator, I ran outside in shock to inform my son-in-law Imran. He called the police immediately,” Meena Rana said in the complaint, according to the Indian Express.
{{/usCountry}}The last communication between Mahalakshmi and her mother was on September 2.
Also read: Bengaluru woman murder: 30 pieces found in fridge; foul stench revealed crime
The body was cut into 30 pieces and stored inside the refrigerator.
The victim used to work as a team leader at Fashion Factor, a clothes shop in Malleshwaram.
Additional Commissioner of Police (West Zone) N Satheesh Kumar said, "A woman's body was found chopped into pieces and stored in a fridge at a house within the Vyalikaval police station limits. It appeared to have been done 4-5 days ago."
He said the dog squad and the forensic experts too visited the spot and started the investigation, reported PTI.
The victim had not been living with her husband.
The police are questioning several suspects, including the husband.