3 min readMumbaiJun 19, 2023 01:18 PM IST
First published on: Jun 9, 2023 at 03:30 AM IST
Neighbours of Manoj Ramesh Sane, who is accused of killing his wife and chopping her body into several pieces, have told the police that when Sane was asked about the foul smell emanating from his flat, he claimed that it could be from the society’s drainage system where cleaning work was going on.
Sane’s neighbour Somesh Shrivastav, who was observing the foul smell for the past 2-3 days, was one of the few who raised an alarm about the unusual circumstances. The 23-year-old youth, who resides opposite to Sane’s flat No. 701, said that on Wednesday the foul smell was unbearable.
On Wednesday afternoon, Shrivastav knocked on Sane’s door, but he did not open the door. “I heard him spraying something, probably a room freshener in the house to suppress the stench,” Shrivastav said.
Shrivastav went down to discuss the matter with other society committee members. By then Sane came down. “I met Manoj uncle (Sane) downstairs. I told him uncle there is strong odour coming out from your flat to which he replied it is coming from drainage,” Shrivastav said.
When Shrivastav asked him to check again he said he would return home by 10.30 pm and will check. He then left and was carrying a bag, Shrivastav said.
Meanwhile, Shrivastav informed society’s secretary Shankar Pradhan about it. Pradhan informed an employee of Sohan Builders that owns the room and they informed the police. Sane was caught when he returned home unaware of the police. He was caught in the lift.
Neighbour Somesh Shrivastav’s elder cousin Rahul, who also visited the flat after police opened it, said the body parts were lying in the room for a couple of days and had turned black. Society secretary Pradhan said that Sane and Vaidya would hardly speak to anyone and never socialise.
“They had last attended an annual Satyanarayan Puja on the society’s terrace last year. They did not come together,” according to Pradhan.
Vivek Shrivastav, tenant next to flat 704, said the accused and the deceased woman would never meet any member of the building, never talk to anyone. Vivek’s wife Annu said the ‘couple’ would never attend any social gathering in the building during the festivals.
“Initially we thought the foul smell was due to the killing of rats, but we never thought that something like this could happen,” Vivek said.
The Naya Nagar Police is trying to trace the family or any friend of Vaidya to whom they can later hand over the remaining body parts for performing last rites.
Shocked by incident, says Sane’s uncle
Sane’s uncle Madhukar Sane, who lives in the same building where Sane’s father had a flat in Borivali, told journalists that he is shocked about the incident as Sane is of very calm nature. He said that Sane’s parents died in 2008 and after that he rented out the flat and moved to Mira Road. Sane had left the Borivali room 10 years ago, but would not come and meet his uncle. The senior citizen said he would only meet Sane in the ration store where he works, adding that they were not aware of Sane living with a woman.
The flat in Mira Road where the chopped up body parts were found, and the accused, Manoj Ramesh Sane (right). (Express Photo) 
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