Bhubaneswar: In a major development, the suspected killer who chopped 26-year-old Mahalaxmi, a single working woman in Bengaluru, into more than 50 pieces and stuffed the body parts into a fridge reportedly died by suicide in Odisha today. 

“The suspected killer has been identified as Mukti Ranjan Roy (30). He was the victim’s colleague. The suspected killer was found hanging from a tree in a village in Bhadrak district in Odisha,” the sources said. 

Mukti Ranjan was found hanging from a tree near a cremation ground at Kuleipada under Dhushri police station limits in Bhadrak in the morning. 

Mukti Ranjan, a resident of Bhuinpur village in Bhadrak, was working in a private company in Bengaluru. 

“The suspected killer had arrived at Bhuinpur yesterday and stayed at home. He left home at around 4 am in the early morning today and was supposed to travel to Bhadrak town. Later, he was found hanging from a tree at Kuleipada. His scooter and laptop were found near the tree," police sources said.

Mukti Ranjan had disappeared following the sensational murder in Bengaluru. The Karnataka Police had sent four teams to Odisha to hunt him. Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara has stated that the accused is on the move in Odisha and escaping from the police. 

Bengaluru Police Commissioner B. Dayananda stated that the police have tracked the killer and the cops are hunting him down.

Commissioner Dayananda had stated that the killer was from outside and settled in Bengaluru.

The suspected killer had stopped coming to work from September 1. Mahalaxmi’s last day of work was also on September 1. 

The police suspect that Mahalaxmi was killed on September 2 or September 3. 

The police stated that the suspected killer was the team head where Mahalaxmi worked.

The murder case came to light last Saturday after neighbours noticed a foul smell emanating from Mahalaxmi's house for two days and informed her relatives. 

Mahalaxmi's mother and sister came to her house on Saturday and witnessed the horrifying scene.

Mahalaxmi was murdered, her body was chopped into more than 50 pieces and stuffed in a fridge, police said.

Though the refrigerator was operational, the body had been infested by maggots. A suitcase was found near the fridge.

The police suspect that Mahalaxmi was murdered around the beginning of the month and her body was cut into pieces by a sharp-edged weapon like a knife.

Mahalaxmi, who hailed from Tripura, worked at a popular mall here.

As per residents of the area, where Mahalaxmi had been living for five months, she lived alone and did not mingle much with her neighbours. For a few days, her brother stayed with her.

The police have also found that she was married and had a child, but lived separately.

(With inputs from IANS)