The prime accused in the Thane murder case allegedly stooped to unimaginably gory levels to disguise his live-in partner's killing, stunning even the police investigators, officials said on Thursday.
Accused, Manoj Sahani, 56, was nabbed late on Wednesday night after he was found living in his rental flat with several body pieces of his live-in partner, Saraswati Vaidya, 32, whom he had killed recently.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Jayant Bajwale and his team have uncovered how he stored the body pieces in plastic bags strewn around the 7th floor flat of Akashdeep Building in Geeta Nagar area of the Mira Road town, around 10 km north of Mumbai borders.
Sahani, who is a shopkeeper in north Mumbai, had reportedly disposed off some portions of the woman's upper half and he is believed to have used a saw (cutter) to chop off her heavy limbs and bones.
Some body pieces he allegedly cut and chopped in a mixer and a few others he boiled in a pressure cooker ostensibly to kill the odour emanating from the decomposing body parts, and police found the victim's feet in the kitchen awaiting a round of cooking.
In fact, it was the very stench that blew the lid off the heinous crime when neighbours complained to the police and a team rushed there on Wednesday afternoon.
DCP Bajwale told IANS that the couple had been in a live-in relationship for at least three years at the rented flat, and the murder is suspected to have taken place early this week (around Sunday-Monday).
"They apparently had a bitter fight over some issue and in a likely bout of rage, Manoj killed Saraswati in their home. Later he indulged in the other acts to erase the evidence of his crime. However, as soon as we entered the flat, it was clear that a gruesome murder had been committed and we caught him," said Bajbale.
Police suspect that some of the missing body parts Sahani may have flushed down the toilet drain, or fed to the stray dogs as claimed by some neighbours or disposed of them in the mangroves nearby and investigations are ongoing.
The exact motives of the chilling murder are yet to be ascertained, but Sahani, who appears unrepentant, is being grilled by a police team before he is produced before a court later on Thursday, said an official.
Shocked residents in the Geeta Nagar neighbourhood speak of the sensational case in hushed tones, and some recall the couple as aloof, not mingling with the people around them and keeping to themselves.
The unsold flat had been leased out by the builder through a property agent to Sahani-Vaidya three years ago, where they lived since.
A worried woman property consultant in Mira Road said that whenever such heinous crimes come to the fore, it immediately adversely affects realty prices in the complex, immediate neighbourhood, and the vicinity.
"It becomes very difficult for people wanting to sell/dispose off the flat, as the property and the locality acquires a bad reputation... there are few takers or it has to be condemned to a distress sale at a huge loss," the woman, who declined to be identified, said.
Tripura making significant strides towards rapid development: CM Dr Saha
Tripura Chief Minister Prof. Dr. Manik Saha today said that the present state government is committed to delivering good governance to all sections of society, with the state making significant strides towards rapid development.
Wanted NSCN (K-YA) cadre held in Assam by security forces
The army and Assam Rifles in coordination with the Assam Police, apprehended a wanted top cadre of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim-Khaplang’s Yung Aung faction (NSCN-K-YA) from the state's Charaideo district, officials said on Monday.
PM Modi condemns Germany market attack, advocates brotherhood at CBCI Christmas event
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday condemned attempts to incite violence in society, highlighting that the teachings of Jesus Christ promote love, harmony, and brotherhood.
National Awardee film-maker and 'parallel cinema' doyen Shyam Benegal dies at 90
Shyam Sunder S. Benegal, a multiple National Award winner and among the pioneers of ‘parallel cinema’ – with silver screen classics like “Junoon”, “Ankur”, “Manthan”, “Zubeida” and “The Making of the Mahatma” – passed away after a long battle with a kidney disease, his family said here on Monday.
End of no-detention policy: Students failing final exams in Classes 5, 8 will be retained in same grade
The central government has scrapped the "no-detention policy" in schools. In this regard, the Ministry of Education has issued an official Gazette notification.
Former SC judge V. Ramasubramanian appointed as NHRC Chairperson
After being without a regular designated head for over six months, the Centre on Monday cleared the appointment of retired Supreme Court judge Justice V. Ramasubramanian as the Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
Minister Sushanta Chowdhury chairs 15th meeting of state road safety council
The state road and transport minister Sushanta Chowdhury on Monday chaired the 15th meeting of the State Road Safety Council here at Agartala and said that the government is contemplating to ensure zero road accidents through generating more awareness.
Lok Sabha MP Biplab Kumar Deb slams Congress's dynastic politics
Former Tripura Chief Minister and current Lok Sabha MP, Biplab Kumar Deb, on Monday launched a scathing attack on the Congress party's dynastic politics, accusing it of surrendering power to the communists in the state due to family-based succession.