Police spokesman says Ashok Raj Varikuppala visited his mother-in-law and handed her his son

The husband of a Point Cook woman whose body was found in a wheelie bin handed their 3-year-old son to the dead woman’s mum in India before vanishing.

The husband of a Point Cook woman whose body was found in a wheelie bin has handed the couple’s son to the dead woman’s mother in India and “left”, police there say.

Crime scene investigators pored over the family home in Melbourne’s southwest for much of Sunday, taking away bags of evidence and seizing a family car.

Friends and neighbours shared tributes to young mother Chaithanya “Swetha” Madhagani and grieved over reports of her gruesome death.

Sources said Ms Madhagani’s husband, Ashok Raj Varikuppala, had flown back to India in ­recent days with the couple’s son, Arya, 3. It is understood he rang family in Victoria and gave them information about her death.

Ashok Raj Varikuppala and Chaithanya ‘Swetha’ Madhagani.

Victoria Police remained tight-lipped about the investigation and refused to confirm whether or not Mr Varikuppala was a suspect or if they would be seeking an extradition.

A police statement on Saturday said only “it is believed the parties involved are known to one another and the offender may have fled overseas”.

Australian Federal Police said it was aware of the ­investigation.

But police spokesman Inspector Veera Swamy at Kushaiguda police station in Hyderabad said: “As per the details with us, her husband visited the mother-in-law (the deceased’s mother) a few days ago and handed him his son. After that he left.”

He added: “No one from the family has registered any complaint against anyone yet. We will help in ­investigations if someone approaches us. As of now, we don’t know where he is as we are not investigating the case without any complaint”.

Ms Madhagani’s body was found west of Geelong.

La Trobe MP Jason Wood took to social media to say he was devastated for the family and called her death a “cowardly, horrific” tragedy.

“May the lowlife who did this be brought to justice quickly and live a life in hell,” Mr Wood said on Facebook.

The suburban home of Ms Madhagani and Mr Varikuppala remained a crime scene on Sunday.

Homicide squad detectives probed red and yellow lidded bins at the back of the property and went door to door requesting CCTV footage from stunned neighbours.

A tow truck arrived just after 2pm and a white Mercedes SUV was removed.

Point Cook dad Raja Ramesh Reddy, a friend of Ms Madhagani, said he became concerned when she and her son failed to attend her regular Ready Steady Go class.

Having last spoken to her on March 2, Mr Reddy said: “I am in disbelief over this news.

“Her sudden departure has left us all in shock. Our hearts go out to her family and the little one during this difficult time. It’s imperative that justice is served, and those responsible for this are swiftly held ­accountable.”

Neighbours remembered Ms Madhagani as a lovely, sociable community member.

One laid flowers at the letterbox of the Mirka Way address. Another, who wished not to be named, said she was shocked to hear Ms Madhagani had died, having seen her alive and well a week ago. “She (Swetha) was lovely, outgoing and friendly,” she said.

Mum was ‘lovely, outgoing and friendly’

Police found the body about noon in a paddock off Mount Pollock Rd in Buckley.

Ms Madhagani has been remembered as a lovely, sociable woman whose death has devastated those that knew her.

Chaithanya “Swetha” Madhagani.

A neighbour, who wished not to be named, said they were “shocked” to hear reports of Ms Madhagani’s death.

“We are completely shocked … it’s just completely out of surprise for us,” she said.

Having spoken with the Ms Madhagani a number of times, having seen her walk up and down the street with her kids on occasion.

“She (Swetha) was lovely, outgoing and friendly. She came to introduce herself … we are just completely in shock.”

The neighbour noted Ms Madhagani and her husband, Ashok Raj Varikuppala, were quite different from one another.

She said Ashok was a quiet person, in contrast to his wife who she described as a “great neighbour” and a very “outgoing and social person”.

“They were lovely people,” she added.

The last time she had seen Ms Madhagani was about a week ago in her local park before news of her death broke on Saturday.

Ms Madhagani has been remembered as a lovely, sociable woman.

Local father Raja Ramesh Reddy said he was concerned for Ms Madhagani when she failed to appear for her kid’s exercise class on Saturday.

Mr Reddy said he had been chatting with Ms Madhagani about exercise activities options for their respective children just over a week ago, on March 2, at a Ready Steady Go class in Point Cook.

“I am in disbelief over this news,” he said.

“Her sudden departure has left us all in shock.”

Ms Madhagani has one young son who is understood to have been enjoying karate classes and he was expecting her to attend on Saturday.

Mr Reddy said any and all families within his community had been left frightened after hearing about Ms Madhagani’s death, adding that his wife was just as upset as he was when they woke to the news on Sunday morning.

“Our hearts go out to her family and the little one during this difficult time,” he said.

“It’s imperative that justice is served, and those responsible for this are swiftly held accountable and brought to justice.”

Crime scene investigators poured over the Point Cook home throughout the day on Sunday.

Detectives were seen probing two vehicles located inside the garage and checking bins located along the side of the property.

One member of the neighbourhood stopped by the house to place a floral tribute just beyond police tape after midday.

Eric Lewis, who owns the land either side of where the body was found, said he was “flabbergasted” by the discovery of the woman’s body.

“What is happening here in Buckley?” he said.

“I just can’t believe it.”

A local resident, who did not want to be named, said he and his wife had been out walking in the area on Friday, and noticed a pungent smell, which they presumed was a dead sheep.

Sources with knowledge of the investigation told the Sunday Herald Sun Swetha’s husband, Ashok Raj Varikuppala, flew back to India in recent days with the couple’s son.

He rang family members in Victoria and gave them information about Swetha’s death.

He is understood to be under immense family pressure to return to Australia, and has told police he is willing to co-operate with authorities.

The Herald Sun confirmed the wheelie bin had been locked shut.

The couple’s Mirka Way, Point Cook home was on Saturday declared a crime scene.

A neighbour, and longtime friend of Swetha’s said she was shocked to hear what had happened.

“She was one of the sweetest girls ever,” she said.

“Everyone would want to have Swetha in their lives.”

The neighbour had known the young Point Cook couple as they had built their houses around similar times.

Police at the scene on Mount Pollock Rd in Buckley after Ms Madhagani’s body was found. Picture: Mark Wilson

She became tearful as she recounted how the woman would make her food and how she was a beautiful mother to the couple’s young son.

“She was full of life — I can’t believe she’s gone,” she said.

“A life is lost it’s worse she was found somewhere else we all deserve dignity.”

Another Mirka way resident, who met the family three years ago and whose child went to Swetha and Ashok’s son’s birthday party said he was “in disbelief” on hearing the news of Swetha’s death.

“They are a very good, nice family,” he said.

“I’ve never seen them argue.”

Eric Lewis, who owns the land either side of where Swetha’s body was found, said he heard of the police search on the “bush telegraph”.

“I’m flabbergasted,” he said.

“What is happening here in Buckley, I just can’t believe it.”

The isolated area where Swetha’s body was found is home to only a handful of nearby residents.

One of them, who has lived on the gravel Mt Pollock Rd for 25 years, said the gruesome find had sent shockwaves through the local community.

“It’s hard to picture it happening here,” he said.

“We walk our dogs past the train tracks and that area all the time.

“This will certainly shock everyone here, it’s just not something you expect.”