Who is Manoj Sahani? Saraswati Vaidya’s Live-in Partner, Mira Road’s Murder Case
Mira Road’s Murder Case: A gruesome murder case has shocked the city of Mumbai, India, where a man Manoj Sahani allegedly killed his live-in partner Saraswati Vaidya and chopped her body into pieces using a tree cutter. The man, identified as Manoj Sahani, was arrested by the police on June 8, 2023, after the residents of his building complained of a foul smell coming from his flat.
The Crime Scene
According to the police, Sahani had been living with Saraswati Vaidya, a 36-year-old woman, in a rented flat in the Akashganga building in the Mira Road area for the past three years. The couple had frequent quarrels and Sahani suspected Vaidya of having an affair with another man.
On June 4, 2023, Sahani allegedly killed Vaidya by strangling her with a rope and then used a tree cutter to chop her body into more than 20 pieces. He then boiled some of the body parts in a pressure cooker and put them in plastic bags and buckets. He also used air fresheners to mask the stench of the decomposing body.
Sahani planned to dispose of the body parts by feeding them to stray dogs or throwing them in a nearby creek. However, he was caught by the police before he could execute his plan.
The Police Investigation
The police were alerted by the residents of the building who noticed a foul smell emanating from Sahani’s flat on June 8, 2023. They also saw blood stains on the door and windows of the flat. The police broke open the door and found Sahani inside with the chopped body parts.
Sahani initially claimed that Vaidya had committed suicide by consuming poison and he panicked and decided to chop her body to avoid being blamed for her death. However, he later confessed to killing her after an argument over her alleged affair.
The police recovered the tree cutter, the rope, the pressure cooker, and other evidence from the crime scene. They also sent the body parts to JJ Hospital for further analysis and post-mortem.
Sahani was booked under sections 302 (murder), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code. He was produced before a Thane court and remanded to police custody till June 16, 2023.
The Background of the Accused ‘Manoj Sahani’ and the Victim ‘Saraswati Vaidya’
Sahani is a native of Bihar and works as a driver for a private company. He has two sons from his first wife who lives in Bihar. He met Vaidya, who is also from Bihar, through a common friend and started living with her in Mumbai.
Vaidya was married to another man and had two children with him. She had left her husband and children in Bihar and came to Mumbai with Sahani. She worked as a domestic help in some houses in Mira Road.
The couple had no relatives or friends in Mumbai and kept to themselves. They did not interact much with their neighbors or other residents of the building. They also did not have any identity proofs or documents to prove their relationship.
The Reaction of the Public
The murder case has shocked and outraged the public who have expressed their horror and disgust over the brutality of the crime. Many have compared it to the infamous Shraddha Walkar case of 2012, where a woman was killed and dismembered by her husband in Mumbai.
Some have also raised questions about the safety and security of women in Mumbai and demanded strict action against the accused. Others have sympathized with the victim’s family and children who are left behind in Bihar.
The case has also highlighted the need for more awareness and counseling for couples who face domestic violence or marital discord. It has also exposed the vulnerability of migrant workers who live in isolation and poverty in big cities like Mumbai.
