In January 2019, Chennai was shaken after human body parts were discovered in plastic bags near the Pallikaranai dump yard. As the investigation progressed, more body parts were recovered from different locations across the city. However, the victim's head and left hand were never located.
With no immediate identification possible, investigators relied on the victim's unique Shiva-Parvati and dragon tattoos. The tattoos were recognized by her mother, leading police to identify the victim as 37-year-old actress Sandhya. DNA testing later confirmed her identity.
Police investigations pointed to Sandhya's husband, film producer Balakrishnan, as the prime suspect. According to investigators, the couple had frequent disputes, reportedly fueled by suspicions and personal differences. Police allege that an argument on January 19, 2019, escalated into murder.
Investigators claim that after killing Sandhya, Balakrishnan dismembered her body, packed the remains into plastic bags, and disposed of them at multiple locations across Chennai in an attempt to destroy evidence. Police reportedly recovered bloodstains, plastic bags, and a weapon believed to have been used in the crime. CCTV footage also played a crucial role in the investigation.
Although most of the victim's remains were eventually recovered, her head and left hand have never been found, despite extensive searches involving thousands of tons of waste. The case remains one of the most disturbing murder investigations in recent memory.
