Two days after the dismembered remains of a woman were discovered in a flat in Mira Road, Mumbai, the deceased’s sisters have submitted their statements to the local police. The arrest of Manoj Sane, 56, the live-in partner of the victim, Saraswati Vaidya, 36, was announced on June 8. The disturbing details of the crime have evoked memories of the infamous Shraddha Walkar case from the previous year.
According to police reports, the body parts of Vaidya were found pressure-cooked and roasted inside the flat she shared with Sane. The incident came to light after neighbours alerted the police about an unusual smell permeating from the apartment.
Sane, an employee of a local ration shop, allegedly stored Vaidya’s remains in three containers in the flat. Neighbours have also reported unusual activities, such as Sane feeding stray dogs, an act he had not been known to do before.
Police reports indicate that Sane had intended to commit suicide after disposing of Vaidya’s body parts, but his motive for the crime remains unclear. Officers were severely affected by the horrific scene; some reportedly felt nauseated upon discovering the gruesome state of the flat.
Vaidya and Sane, both originally from Ahmednagar, had lived together for 15 years, having first met at the ration shop where Sane worked. Despite living in the Mira Road apartment for five years, the couple remained largely unknown to their neighbours, maintaining a quiet and reclusive lifestyle.
The crime was reported after Somesh Srivastava, a neighbour, alerted police to a persistent foul smell emanating from the couple’s flat. Officers found the source of the smell to be Vaidya’s body parts, both scattered and contained, inside the apartment.
Sane initially claimed that Vaidya had taken her own life via poison, causing him to panic and dismember her body for disposal. His statements, however, have varied significantly during the investigation. He also claimed that Vaidya was like a daughter to him, further muddying the waters of the inquiry.
The authorities have lodged an FIR against Sane under the Indian Penal Code sections 302 (murder) and 201 (destruction of evidence). Investigations are ongoing, and Sane has been remanded in police custody until June 16.