Residents of the housing complex are still grappling with the horrific discovery.
Manoj Sane, the 56-year-old man accused of killing his live-in partner and then chopping up her body in Mumbai, had searched online for methods of disposing of a dead body and removing the associated stench, according to police sources. Police officers said they have found Sane's internet search history on his phone, providing more unsettling details into the gruesome crime.
The probe into the gruesome murder of Saraswati Vaidya, 32, whose mutilated remains were found in the couple's flat in the Akashdeep building in Mira Road (East), has led to shocking revelations. Sane had reportedly purchased a wood cutter machine to dismember Vaidya's body following her death.
Sane, who had already owned a tile cutter machine, used this to cut plywood in the past. This time, however, the tool was repurposed for a more sinister use.
According to police sources, Sane also used eucalyptus oil to suppress the stench of decomposition. He had purchased five vials of the oil for this purpose. Law enforcement has since seized several items from the apartment, including cutting machines, vials of oil, and a variety of utensils such as a spoon, bucket, brass pot, and a home cooker.
The police have conducted interviews with 8 to 10 individuals connected to the case, hoping to piece together the full narrative of this brutal crime. A photograph of Vaidya was recovered from Sane's phone, showing visible wounds on her body. The motive behind this photograph remains unclear.
Residents of the housing complex are still grappling with the reality of the horrific events that unfolded in their midst. Thirty-two-year-old Vaidya's remains were discovered by police on June 7 after neighbours complained about a foul odour emanating from the couple's apartment. Sane was absent at the time of the discovery, and officers were met with the horrifying sight of Vaidya's dismembered body parts in various kitchen utensils upon entering the flat.
The entire complex is shrouded in eerie silence as residents continue to process the shocking crime. Society secretary, Pratap Aswal, commented, "Even now, the residents are in a state of shock and scared of moving around. The foul smell is still experienced in the premises and we are now sanitizing the entire complex."
In the aftermath of this incident, the society management has resolved to enforce stricter verification of tenants' identities and backgrounds.
Sane, a ration shop employee, was arrested last Thursday. He allegedly told police that Vaidya had committed suicide by drinking poison, and he merely tried to dispose of her body by chopping it up. He also claimed that he was HIV-positive and did not have a physical relationship with Vaidya, asserting that she was his wife and not a live-in partner.