New Delhi:

The man suspected of being involved in the horrific fridge murder in Bengaluru, has been found dead in Odisha. He has apparently died by suicide, said sources in the Odisha police. The man, Mukti Ranjan Roy, has been found hanging from a tree in Odisha’s Bhadrak district. A colleague of the murdered woman and one of her three close friends in Bengaluru, he was the prime suspect in the case.

“The suspected killer had arrived at the Pandi village on Wednesday and stayed at home. He had gone on a two-wheeler. His body was found by the locals,” reported news agency IANS, quoting un-named local sources.

The body of Mahalaxmi, 26, chopped into 30-odd pieces and stuffed in the fridge, was recovered on Saturday, shocking the city. The body parts were partially decomposed, leading the police to believe that she was killed at least two weeks before.

The neighbours had called in the woman’s family after noticing a foul smell coming from the flat. Her mother and sister, residents of Tripura, visited the house on Saturday and discovered the body.

Mahalaxmi, who worked at a mall, was estranged from her husband, who, reports say, had blamed her friend for the murder. Hemant Das, the husband, had apparently claimed she had a friend from Uttarakhand who was responsible,

The discovery of Mukti Ranjan Roy’s body came days after the city police said they have identified the suspect and was on his trail.

The man, who was her colleague, had stopped going to work from September 1. Mahalaxmi’s last day of work was also on September 1. The police suspect that she was killed on September 2 or September 3. The police have not mentioned the motive yet.