'Prime Suspect Identified, He Is An Outsider': Bengaluru Police Commissioner On 'Woman Chopped Into Pieces' Case

Without giving details about the accused in the murder case of a woman, where her body was found chopped into pieces and stuffed into a refrigerator, Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda said that the accused is an outsider.

The woman, identified as Mahalakshmi, used to live alone in a flat in Malleswaram after separating from her husband Hemant Das in December last year. Her husband suspects Ashraf, with whom she had an illicit relationship, is the killer.

While the police did not name the suspect, it said, "We are investigating the case from all angles. The prime suspect has been identified but we are yet to apprehend him. After interrogation, we will be able to give more details."

"We have to physically arrest him. Then only we will know further details. At this stage, if we curtail anything, it will be for the benefit of the culprit, not for the public," Dayananda said.

When asked whether the culprit is from Bengaluru or elsewhere, the Police Commissioner said, "He is an outsider." Meanwhile, some media reports claim that Ashraf is from Uttarakhand, while others say he is from West Bengal.

The Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Karnataka unit has called it a case of Love Jihad and urged the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government to consider bringing anti-Love Jihad laws and not downplay this as a mere accident or prank.

Calling the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi 'balak buddhi', the BJP said, "While you weep for Hamas terrorists, here’s something for you to consider," referring to anti-love Jihad laws.