**Bengaluru, September 21, 2024**: In a gruesome incident, the dismembered body of a 29-year-old woman was discovered in her Bengaluru apartment on Saturday. The victim, identified as H. Mahalakshmi Das, an employee at a local mall and a resident of Pipeline Road in Vyalikaval, was found dead in her refrigerator after her family was alerted to a foul smell emanating from her home.The discovery was made by Mahalakshmi’s mother and elder sister, who, along with the building owner, Jayaram, entered her apartment after being informed about the odor by a concerned neighbor. Upon opening the apartment door, they were met with a horrific sight: Mahalakshmi’s decomposed body inside the refrigerator. Shocked by the grisly scene, they immediately contacted the police.Originally from Nepal, Mahalakshmi’s family had settled in Nelamangala. She had been living in the Vyalikaval apartment for the past five months after separating from her husband, who resides in Nelamangala with their child. According to investigators, the murder may have occurred around September 2, as this was the last time Mahalakshmi’s mobile phone was active. Police are probing the possibility of multiple assailants being involved in the crime.The initial clue came from neighbors who had noticed a strong stench but assumed it was from a dead animal. After the neighbor alerted the building owner, Jayaram, he called Mahalakshmi’s family, leading to the grim discovery. The front door of the apartment had been bolted from the outside, and insects were visible inside the home, indicating the body had been there for several days.A police officer involved in the investigation expressed surprise that Mahalakshmi’s family had not tried to contact her for such a long period. “It is surprising that none of her family members tried to contact her for so long. We will question them on this,” the officer said. The police are now examining her call records to gather more clues.Neighbors described Mahalakshmi as a quiet individual who did not interact much with the people around her. “She was quite reserved, and we didn’t know much about her personal life,” said a neighbor, Susheela, who also noted that some residents had noticed a man regularly picking up and dropping Mahalakshmi from work.The police suspect that the killer may have been known to Mahalakshmi, as there were no signs of forced entry and no valuables were reported missing from the apartment, ruling out robbery as a motive. Investigators are currently pursuing leads and questioning individuals who were in contact with the victim before her death.Mahalakshmi’s tragic death has sent shockwaves through the local community, and police continue to search for those responsible for the brutal crime.