Mira Road Murder: Man Kills Live-in Partner Near Mumbai; 'Boiled Body Parts, Blood-filled Buckets Found'

Two days after the Charni Road hostel murder case, another incident has shocked Mumbai. A 36-year-old woman was allegedly killed by her live-in-partner and chopped into “several pieces” in Mira Road.

While 13 body parts were found at the residence of the accused, he disposed of other parts after cutting them into several pieces, sources told News18 on Thursday, adding that the accused used to “boil body parts in cooker” to ensure there is no foul smell. Police had initially found only the leg of the victim.

The accused, Manoj Sahani (56), was arrested on Wednesday evening while trying to flee from his rented apartment. Sahani was staying with the victim, identified as Saraswati Vaidya, in flat 704 at J wing of Geeta Akash Deep building in Geeta Nagar Phase 7 over the past three years.

Reacting to the sensational murder, NCP leader Supriya Sule said that the man tried to dispose of the body “by cooking it in a cooker and grinding it in a mixer”, which is “extremely gruesome, inhumane and outrageous”. She added that criminals no longer have fear of law in Maharashtra and crimes against women are increasing at an alarming rate.

How Did Police Find Out About the Sensational Murder

According to officers, residents of the building had called the Nayanagar police station around 7 pm on Wednesday, complaining that a foul smell was emanating from flat number 704. When police reached the Mira Road apartment, Sahani opened the door.

He tried to flee on seeing the cops. But was nabbed with the help of the residents. When police entered the flat, they found only the victim’s legs. The accused had reportedly disposed of some of the body parts over the past two to three days.

A report in Hindustan Times quoted Jayant Bajbale, deputy commissioner of police (zone 1), as saying: “We have arrested Sahani and are investigating to find out the motive behind the murder and how he executed it.”

Sources in the police told News18 that when the officers entered the apartment, it was almost impossible for them to stand due to the strong stench. Many air fresheners were kept in the house.

“A tree cutter was kept in the hall and black plastic was spread all over the bed in the bedroom. The victim’s hair were lying in the bedroom. There were also three buckets kept in the kitchen, in which there were small pieces of the body and it was filled with blood,” a source said.

Police said that Sahani showed no sign of remorse. “We are in the process of registering an FIR against him for murder and destruction of evidence,” an officer said on Wednesday evening. A forensic team was called to collect samples and evidence from the apartment.

‘Accused Seen Feeding Stray Dogs’

Reports stated that residents told the police that the couple did not mingle with anyone in the building. A report in Times of India quoted residents as telling the police that Sahani was seen feeding stray dogs in the locality over the past two to three days — something that he had never done in the past.

The report stated that police suspect he may have fed some of the body parts to the strays. Officers are also trying to find out if body parts were flushed down the drain.

The HT report stated that the door of the couple’s flat does not have a name plate and it is registered in the name of Sonam builders.

What Does Police’s Preliminary Investigation State

• Police suspect the murder may have taken place on Sunday.

• Initially police suspected that the accused used a saw to chop Vaidya’s body after strangulating her.

• The TOI report stated that saw used for chopping the body has been seized.

Reactions on Mira Road Murder Case

• National Commission for Women Chairperson Rekha Sharma said, “We have seen that in the recent past, cases like this have increased. We have taken suo moto on this and will write to DG to take care of the case…”

Recent Murders in Mumbai and the Suburbs

• An 18-year-old woman from Maharashtra’s Vidarbha region was allegedly raped and strangled to death in her fourth-floor room of a government women’s hostel in south Mumbai’s Charni Road on Tuesday.

The suspect, identified as security guard Prakash Kanojia, who also worked as a laundry man, ended his life soon after. The case has still been grabbing eyeballs, with several leaders attacking the Shinde-Fadnavis government. Officials told News18 on Thursday that the victim’s body is still at JJ hospital as the parents have gone to Marine Line’s police station with certain demands. The last rites have been delayed.

• A headless body of a woman was found in a travel bag in Bhayander’s Uttan beach on Friday. The officers arrested the woman’s husband, who suspected she was in an extramarital relationship.

According to reports, the head, which was believed to have been dumped in the Bhayander creek, is still to be found. He allegedly cut the torso into two parts.

• In March, a 24-year-old woman was arrested for allegedly killing her mother and cutting her into pieces at their house at Mumbai’s Lalbaug. She stayed with her mother’s remains at the house for over two months.

• In February, a 37-year-old woman was allegedly killed by her live-in partner and hid her body in the storage area of the bed at their rented house near Mumbai’s Nalasopara.

• Though the infamous Shraddha Walkar case did not take place near Mumbai, but the accused and the victim were from Vasai. The accused had chopped his live-partner’s body into 35 pieces and dumped across the national capital.

(With inputs from Yesha Kotak in Mumbai)