New Delhi: Prime suspect in the gruesome murder of a 29-year-old Bengaluru woman was found dead in Odisha on Wednesday. Muktirajan Pratap Ray, 31, was the key suspect in the murder of Mahalakshmi, whose dismembered body was discovered in a fridge at her residence in Vinayaka Nagar, Bengaluru. Ray’s death, reportedly a suicide, was confirmed by the Odisha police, and a note left by him reportedly contains his confession.
The case came to light when Bengaluru police, acting on a tip-off, found Mahalakshmi’s body inside a fridge on Saturday. The discovery shocked the city, as the body had been dismembered and hidden in the appliance. Investigators quickly zeroed in on Ray, a former colleague of the victim, as the prime suspect. Special teams were deployed to locate him, leading them across state borders.
On Wednesday morning, Ray’s lifeless body was found hanging from a tree near Bhuinpur village in Odisha’s Bhadrak district. Shantunu Kumar Jena, officer-in-charge of the Dhusuri police station, confirmed that Ray’s body was discovered at around 8:15 am and was later sent for postmortem. Ray had allegedly returned to his village early in the morning before leaving again on a two-wheeler, which led to his tragic death.
Odisha’s Additional Director General of Police, Sanjay Kumar, confirmed the discovery of a suicide note near Ray’s body. The note allegedly contains his confession to Mahalakshmi’s murder, linking him directly to the heinous crime. Kumar also stated that while the note is now considered a court document, the Bengaluru police will need to file a formal request to access it.
Ray and Mahalakshmi had reportedly been friends since 2023 and worked at the same mall in Malleshwaram. Mahalakshmi, separated from her husband, was a team leader at a costume outlet. Bengaluru police questioned multiple people connected to her, including her husband and colleagues. However, Ray’s sudden disappearance from Bengaluru became a key lead in the investigation.
Ray had contacted his brother shortly after fleeing Bengaluru, reportedly confessing to the murder and seeking advice. His brother informed the police about the call, and Ray’s last known location was traced to West Bengal, before his body was found in Odisha.
As Bengaluru police continue their investigation, they are working closely with their counterparts in Odisha. The case is expected to progress rapidly as more details about Ray’s motives and the circumstances surrounding the crime emerge.
