Friends and neighbours have paid tribute to a young mother-of-one whose body was found in a wheelie bin under trees in a paddock.
Police made the grim discovery inside the bin off Mount Pollock Road in Buckley, 30 minutes west of Geelong at about 12pm on Saturday.
The woman’s body found off a isolated dirt road is believed to be that of Chaithanya ‘Swetha’ Madhagani, who had a young son with husband Ashok Raj Varikuppala.
A second crime scene has also been declared at a home in Point Cook in south-west Melbourne, 86km from where her body was found.
Friends have since described Ms Madhagani as ‘a perfect woman and a perfect mother’ who lived for her young son.
She would often cook and share food and invited people into her home.
The body found dumped in a wheelie bin in Buckley near Geelong is believed to be Chaithanya ‘Swetha’ Madhagani (pictured)
Chaithanya ‘Swetha’ Madhagani (pictured with her husband Ashok Raj Varikuppala and their young son) was full of life, according to friends
Police made the grim discovery inside a green waste bin off Mount Pollock Rd in Buckley, west of Geelong on Saturday.
‘She was one of the sweetest girls ever,’ one neighbour told the Herald Sun.
‘Everyone would want to have Swetha in their lives.
‘She was full of life — I can’t believe she’s gone.’
Another neighbour said he was in ‘disbelief’ at the news and that his son had attended a birthday party for the couple’s child.
he had known the family for three years,
‘They are a very good, nice family,’ he said of the couple.
‘I’ve never seen them argue.’
Sources with knowledge of the investigation told the publication that Mr Varikuppala flew back to India in recent days with the couple’s son.
He reportedly rang family members in Victoria to tell them about Ms Madhagani’s death.
The Herald Sun also reported that Mr Varikuppala has stated he is willing to cooperate with authorities.
It is not suggested that Mr Varikuppala was in any way involved in the death of his wife.
Her husband Ashok Raj Varikuppala (pictured left) has reportedly flown to India in recent days but remains in contact with authorities
Eric Lewis, who owns land near the Mount Pollock Road scene where her body was located, was ‘flabbergasted’ by the horrific discovery.
He said he made his way to the scene after hearing something on the ‘bush telegraph’ but that police would not tell him anything.
‘What is happening here in Buckley, I just can’t believe it,’ he said.
Mr Lewis told Nine News that he’d never seen a wheelie bin lying there – and that he went past the site quite often.
Another local recalled walking in the area on Friday, and noticed a pungent smell which he presumed was a dead sheep.
A third long-time resident said the find was ‘disturbing’ and would rock the close knit local community.
Photos from the Mount Pollock Rd scene where Ms Madhagani’s body was found show a heavy police presence, including homicide detectives and members of Victorian Police’s VIPER Taskforce.
A neighbour and close friend described Ms Madhagani said she was the ‘sweetest girl’ and ‘the perfect mother’
Chaithanya “Swetha” Madhagani’s body was found dumped in a green waste bin among trees
The VIPER Taskforce is a statewide capability that provides a tactical and investigative response to serious and organised crime.
Investigators are yet to determine the precise circumstances of Ms Madhagani’s remains.
The bin spent much of Saturday in the sweltering heat before homicide detectives arrived in the late afternoon.
Mount Pollock Rd is a gravel stretch with farmland on either side.
No arrests have yet been made at this stage.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
The grisly find was made on Mt Pollock Rd (pictured) at Buckley, near Geelong south-west of Melbourne at about 12pm on Saturday
