A 19-year-old woman, Maya Gogoi Deka, originally from Assam, was found murdered in a serviced apartment in Bengaluru’s Indiranagar locality on Tuesday.
Her companion, identified as 21-year-old Aarav Hanoy from Kerala, is the prime suspect and has evaded capture.
The victim, employed as a student counsellor in HSR Layout, had checked into The Royal Living serviced apartments on 23 November with Hanoy.
According to CCTV footage, Hanoy was seen leaving the premises at 8:19 a.m. on Tuesday. The police were summoned later in the day after staff reported a foul odour from the room.
When officers, accompanied by forensic experts, forced entry into the apartment, they discovered Maya’s body on the bed with multiple stab injuries, including a fatal wound to the chest.
The body was in a state of partial decomposition, leading police to believe the murder occurred at least a day earlier.
Circumstances and investigation
Deputy Commissioner of Police (East Division) D. Devaraj confirmed the details of the crime.
“The woman’s body had multiple stab injuries and a deep stab injury on the chest, which could have led to her death. The body was slightly decomposed, so we suspect that the murder may have happened at least a day before,” he stated.
Hanoy had reportedly switched off his mobile phone shortly after leaving the premises.
“The check-in was in the name of Aarav, who hails from Kerala. He walked out of the facility, and his mobile phone was switched off a little later. We are trying to track him down,” Devaraj said.
CCTV footage confirmed that no other individuals entered the apartment during the couple’s stay.
Family aware of relationship
Maya’s sister, who lodged the complaint, informed the police that the two had been well-acquainted, with family members aware of their relationship.
However, the motive behind the murder remains unclear.
Premeditated murder
The police suspect premeditation based on evidence gathered from the crime scene.
“We found an old kitchen knife that was used to stab her. Aarav must have carried it with him. He also ordered two arm lengths of a nylon rope on a home delivery platform. We recovered the rope and the cover that it was delivered in, from the room,” Devaraj added.
The incident is the latest in a spate of crimes involving women from outside Karnataka, highlighting concerns over their safety in Bengaluru.
Investigations continue as police intensify their search for the absconding suspect.
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