Nagpur man chops wife into pieces

Oct 10, 2013

NAGPUR: Hudkeshwar police on Wednesday arrested 41-year-old Sudhir Maskare for allegedly murdering wife Deepti, 30, and disposing of her chopped body parts into Wainganga River. Sudhir, who had a love marriage in 2003, cut Deepti’s body into seven pieces after killing her at their Mahalaxmi Nagar home in Manewada on September 11. After disposing of her body, Sudhir lodged a missing complaint with the police. The scary murder came to fore after a head constable of Hudkeshwar police station, probing the missing complaint of Deepa, got a call from Sudhir’s native village at Murdhara in Gondia district stating there was foul play involved. Sudhir worked as a driver for tourists in Karmajhari, Pench. Deepa managed the family owned stationery shop on Manewada Cement road. The two were together in a NCC course together and were also snake-lovers (sarpamitras). Police said Sudhir and Deepa’s relations soured owing to financial dispute. Deepa used to demand money from Sudhir who took up thermocol work between July and September when forest safaris were closed. Police sources claimed Sudhir had earned around Rs 60,000 from his temporary work with thermocol this season which was less than last year’s income. Deepa was apparently unhappy with it. She also wanted Sudhir to transfer the ownership of their family shop from retired father-in-law’s to her name. Sudhir was against it. This led to regular quarrels. Police said the couple had a major verbal duel on September 11 when their only son Ayush, 10, was at school. An enraged Sudhir tried to throttle Deepti. In the process banged her head against the wall which is likely to have resulted in her death. Sudhir dragged the body inside one of the rooms. It was at 3.30 pm that their only son was supposed to return from school. Sudhir decided to lock up the body in kitchen as per his statement before the cops. He later took Ayush for snacks when he returned. The father-son duo went to sleep after returning home. Ayush was told by Sudhir that his mother had gone out for work. Sudhir claimed before the cops that he woke up at 1.30 am the following day. As he was into business of cutting thermocol, Sudhir had big knives at home. He chopped off Deepti’s body into seven pieces before wrapping them into thermocol and packing them into three packets of polythene. Their son remained fast asleep through all this. The packets with the body parts were kept concealed in the kitchen. Police said there are almost no chances of finding blood as the body was chopped several hours after death. Sudhir, along with his unsuspecting son Ayush, is learnt to have surveyed several places in the city, including Futala lake, to dispose of the parts on September 12. Police said Sudhir took the packets on his scooter with son riding pillion. The following day, Sudhir borrowed his father’s car with a plan to dispose of the packets in his native place at Murdhara. He had first tried to throw them away at Mouda but later headed to Gondia. After reaching his native place at Murdhara, Sudhir hired a few labourers asking them to dig two pits for planting trees. He then buried the polythene packets into one of the pits before returning to city with his son. On September 14, Sudhir walked into Hudkeshwar police station to file complaint about Deepti going missing. He also called up several of their common friends and family members complaining that Deepti has left him after a domestic feud. Police said Sudhir later developed an anxiety that someone may unearth the body parts while tilling the land or some animal may dig them out. On September 26, Sudhir again returned to the place with his brother-in-law’s car. Police said that Sudhir once again dug up the parts enduring the stench. He took the body parts, wrapped in polythene packets, in his car before heading to Wainganga river. His car got stuck in the muck in the field. He had to call some villagers to lift it. At this point the villagers got the strong stench from the car and got suspicious. It is learnt Sudhir was also spotted by some villagers while hurling the packets into the river. The villagers also reported to have seen some parts surfacing in due course of time. The rumours were making the rounds in the village which got fuel when Hudkeshwar police constable went there to search for Deepti whose missing complaint was lodged at police station. After a couple of days, the constable got a call from the villagers regarding their doubts. The cops immediately rounded up Sudhir who spilled the beans under questioning. The police now have a major challenge in trying to recover the parts before sending it for DNA fingerprinting.   ———- SOURCE: TIMES OF INDIA