Bengaluru, Sep 24 : The police investigating the Mahalaxmi murder case were inquiring why the victim's family did not bother to check on her for a long period even as her mobile was switched off from September 2.

The family came to her house only after getting information that a foul smell was emanating from her residence, the police said.

The accused killed Mahalaxmi at her home, chopped up her body into over 50 pieces, and stuffed them into the fridge, police said.

The incident came to light when neighbours noticed a foul smell emanating from the victim's house for two days and informed her relatives. Mahalaxmi's mother and sister came to her house on Saturday, came across the shocking scene, and raised an alarm.

The doctors have sent samples of the intestine and abdomen for testing to ascertain whether she was poisoned or rendered unconscious through food or liquid, police said.

The police retrieved Mahalaxmi's cell phone at her residence and gathered crucial information.

On Monday, Bengaluru Police Commissioner B. Dayananda said that the accused had been identified. A team of officers stationed in West Bengal have launched the hunt for the killer, who is already tracked.

In FIR, Meena Rana, Mahalaxmi's mother stated that her daughter had four brothers and sisters, and there were differences within the family.

Mahalaxmi was married four years ago and soon differences cropped up between husband and wife.

She also mentioned that Mahalaxmi resided at her brother and sister-in-law's house for some time and then shifted to an independent house.

Meanwhile, the post-mortem report in the murder case will be submitted to the police department on Tuesday, sources confirmed.

This will be a preliminary report and the doctors will send test reports after 10 days.

The National Commission for Women has taken up suo moto cognisance of the case and sought a report from the state police department in three days.

The State Women's Commission has written a letter to the Bengaluru Police Commissioner and sought an action taken report in the case.

A similar case was reported from New Delhi's Chattarpur in 2022, where Shraddha Walkar, 27, was allegedly killed by her boyfriend and live-in partner Aaftab Amin Poonawala, 29. The accused had dismembered her body into 35 pieces and put them into a big fridge before taking them out for disposal in the neighbouring forested area.

/IANS