Bhubaneswar: In a dramatic twist to the Bengaluru horror, Satyaranjan Ray, the brother of the accused Mukti Ranjan Ray, revealed on Thursday that his brother was deeply in love with the victim, Mahalaxmi, and had plans to marry her. However, things took a dark turn when Mahalaxmi accused Mukti of kidnapping her, leading to public humiliation and physical assault.
“Mukti wanted to marry Mahalaxmi and was taking her on his bike to Kerala as they had mutually decided to relocate themselves to that state. But, on the way to Kerala, she accused him of kidnapping, and the public beat him severely before handing him over to the local police. He was even assaulted by the police and was only released after paying a bribe of Rs 1000,” Satyaranjan disclosed.
Speaking to reporters in Odisha, Satyaranjan recounted the sequence of events that led to the tragic murder. He revealed that Mahalaxmi’s so-called “brother” and his friends had threatened Mukti, which escalated the tensions between them.
“In a fit of rage, Mukti choked Mahalaxmi. When he realised she was dead, he panicked and tried to stage the scene as a suicide. Unable to hang her, he dismembered her body and dumped the mutilated organs in a refrigerator before fleeing to Odisha,” Satyaranjan explained.
According to Satyaranjan, Mukti had been mentally disturbed for over a year due to “constant blackmail” and financial demands from Mahalaxmi. She had allegedly taken valuable items from him, including a gold necklace, ring, and an expensive mobile phone, leaving him in financial distress.
“Mukti couldn’t send money home or support my education because of his relationship with Mahalaxmi,” Satyaranjan said.
Mukti’s distraught mother also shared her son’s ordeal, stating, “He was always stressed. When I asked why, he confessed that he had killed a girl in Bengaluru. He used to work at a company during the day and as a delivery agent at night, earning 40-50K per month, but he gave everything to her.”
Mukti’s father, unaware of the gravity of the situation, described his son’s final moments at home.
“He came back to Berhampur, spent the night with his mother, and shared everything with her. He left early the next morning, around 4 am, and was later found hanging from a tree,” he said, overwhelmed with grief.
The police recovered a suicide note from Mukti in which he admitted to the crime, expressing his frustration and anguish. “I was fed up with her conduct. We fought over personal matters, and Mahalaxmi assaulted me. Enraged by her actions, I killed her,” Mukti wrote.
Mahalaxmi, originally said to be from Tripura, worked at a popular mall in Bengaluru where she met Mukti. The police investigation revealed that she was married and had a child but was living separately. Her tumultuous relationship with Mukti culminated in the gruesome crime that shocked the nation.
Mukti vanished following the murder and was later found dead, hanging from a tree in Bhadrak district, Odisha. The case, which has unfolded as a tale of love, betrayal, and tragedy, has left both families shattered and raised serious questions about the circumstances that led to such a horrific end. The investigation continues as Bengaluru police personnel in association with Odisha cops piece together the events that resulted in the loss of a life.
