Madhuvanti and Girish Pote
A 27-year-old man, who allegedly killed his wife and chopped her body into three pieces in their upscale flat, was arrested in Mumbai on Tuesday evening.
The police say Girish Pote stabbed his wife Madhuvanti, cut her body into three parts and wrapped them up using plastic and duct-tape. He allegedly kept two parts in the fridge and a third part in the bedroom of their 14th floor apartment in the Nakshatra Towers high-rise in Bhayandar (East) on the outskirts of Mumbai.
Pote allegedly called a relative he knew for help to dispose of his wife's body, claiming that he was "scared". The police arrived at the flat after a call from the relative.
Police sources say Pote, who worked in a showroom, has repeatedly changed his statements and has not revealed any motive so far. The couple apparently had frequent fights over Girish demanding a share of the wealth his wife had acquired from the sale of her property. He was also unhappy over her decision to move to France as she was unhappy living in India.
30-year-old Madhuvanti, whose mother was French, had a French passport.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Chandrakant Joshi said, "After the murder he went to buy tissues, floor cleaner and few knives. Then he went to the flat at Nakshatra Apartments, where at the door he told his relative that he had killed my wife and the relative won't be able to see it. After saying so, he locked the door from inside. The relative got scared and informed the police."
The couple has a two-year-old child who reportedly stays with Pote's mother.