In what would bring back the memories of the shradha walker murder case, a 56 year-old thane man murdered his live-in partner and then chopped the body into several pieces using different methods of disposing off the body parts.
While speculations and rumours are crowding social media platforms, the police remain tight lipped even though they have taken accused Manoj Sane into custody. The foul smelling odour emanating from the flat led to neighbour’s alerting the police and thus the discovery of body parts. The shradha walker murder case still fresh in people’s minds has brought the question of women safety and security to the forefront. Despite the courts recognising live-in relationships legally, yet much needs to be done to protect women in particular from abuse and violence that remains hidden in the four corners of their homes. This murder after the Shradha case has ignited the debate that the law has a long way to go before women can feel completely safe. While the police and forensics collect evidence and proceed with the investigation quickly, there were some warning signs according to their neighbour’s and reports. The accused Manoj largely kept to himself and had been living with the deceased for the past three years. This case has brought back the memories of the Neeraj Grover murder case and the Naina Sahni murder case in which similar methods of disposal of the body of the deceased were used by the accused to escape attention from neighbour’s and society at large. Shraddha Walkar was murdered by her live-in partner Aaftab Poonawala who sawed her body into several pieces, keeping them in a refrigerator for almost three weeks at their residence in south Delhi’s Mehrauli. The shocking discovery of Walkar’s remains shocked the nation and reignited discussions about safety in live-in relationships. These contemporary cases of domestic violence have resurrected memories of past atrocities, including the infamous Tandoor murder case dating back to 1995. In this case, Naina Sahni, a Congress worker, was shot dead by her husband, Sushil Sharma, a then-Congress leader and Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA). Her body was subsequently burnt in the tandoor of a restaurant, a grim reminder of the lengths criminals will go to dispose of evidence. The equally harrowing murder of Neeraj Grover in 2008 further emphasises the gruesome nature of these domestic crimes. Grover was killed by his girlfriend Maria Susairaj’s fiancé, Emile Jerome Mathew. The couple then dismembered Grover’s body and attempted to dispose of the parts in a forest area, showcasing yet again the horrifying measures these perpetrators take in an effort to evade justice. These incidents have triggered a wave of public outrage and political debate. Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Supriya Sule and Chitra Wagh, state BJP women’s wing chief, have exchanged heated remarks over the rising number of crimes against women and the apparent lack of fear of law among criminals. The disturbing trend of violence and the extreme measures taken in these crimes highlight the urgent need for more stringent laws and swift justice. While investigations are ongoing, the victims’ families and the public wait for justice, even as they grapple with the gruesome realities of these crimes. Meanwhile, the society is left to ponder the extent of violence individuals are capable of within their intimate relationships, leaving us to question the very nature of human brutality and the vulnerabilities of domestic partnerships.
