BENGALURU
A 34-year-old woman was found dead under mysterious circumstances inside her locked rented house in Bengaluru’s Adugodi area, with police recovering her decomposed body lying in a pool of blood late Monday night.
The deceased has been identified as Puja Dutta, a native of Hirapur in Dhanbad, Jharkhand, who had been living alone on the third floor of a multi-storey residential building in Adugodi for the past three years while working at a private company in the city.
The incident came to light after neighbours noticed a strong foul smell emanating from her flat and alerted the house owner, Janakamma, who then informed the police.
According to police, when officers reached the spot, the house was found locked from inside. A locksmith was called to break open the door. Upon entering the flat, police discovered Puja’s body in a naked and highly decomposed condition, suggesting she may have died at least three days earlier.
Investigators also found blood stains on the floor, torn papers scattered across the room and a table fan switched on beside the body, adding to the mystery surrounding the death.
Police said the exact cause of death would be determined only after the post-mortem examination. The body has been shifted for autopsy.
Adugodi police have begun examining Puja’s phone records and questioning people known to her in an effort to reconstruct her final movements and interactions.
House owner Janakamma told police that Puja was unmarried and generally kept to herself, though she mostly communicated in Hindi with neighbours and tenants.
She said two young men staying in a nearby rented house first complained about the foul smell coming from Puja’s flat.
“I suspect it may have been suicide because the door was bolted from inside with three latches. The locksmith had to break it open using a hammer,” Janakamma said, adding that there were visible cut marks on the woman’s body.
She also revealed that a man frequently visited Puja and that the two often argued loudly, though the nature of their relationship and the reasons for their disputes remain unclear.
According to Janakamma, Puja had earlier been warned for playing loud music through a large speaker in her room, which disturbed other residents in the building.
“I had asked her to vacate the house after repeated complaints. She argued with me,” the owner said.
Janakamma further stated that she last saw Puja on Thursday when a prospective tenant had come to inspect the property.
Police are now attempting to identify and trace the frequent male visitor while investigating whether the death was a suicide or involved foul play. The Adugodi police have registered a case and further investigation is underway.