In a significant development, the Mumbai police claim to have solved the mystery surrounding the woman whose lifeless body was discovered in a suitcase near Kurla on Sunday, November 19. According to authorities, the victim, identified as Pratima Powel Kispatta, 25, hailing from Odisha, was allegedly murdered by her live-in partner, Askar Manoj Barla, 22, following a heated argument over suspicions about her character.
The grim discovery was made by a passer-by on Sunday morning at a Metro construction site on CST Road, Kurla. The police estimate the woman's age to be between 25 and 30 years, and the post-mortem revealed that her body had been dumped only a few hours before its discovery. The Kurla police have filed a case under Sections 302 (murder) and 201 (disappearance of evidence) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Apart from the local police, crime branch units were also actively involved in the investigation. A crucial lead came from a rosary found around the victim's neck, leading the crime branch to a church in Dharavi. The circulated images of the woman prompted a family to contact Crime Branch's Unit XI, ultimately identifying her as Pratima Powel Kispatta.
Kispatta's sister informed the police that she had been living with Barla in Dharavi for two months. The crime branch swiftly began tracking Barla, who was attempting to flee the city. A team apprehended him at Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT). During preliminary questioning, Barla confessed to the murder.
According to reports, Barla and Kispatta had met during the COVID-19 lockdown while returning to Odisha from Mumbai. The two struck up a conversation, discovering they belonged to the same village. Despite staying in touch and Kispatta moving in with Barla in Dharavi, suspicions about her character arose in Barla's mind.
On the night of November 18, an argument ensued between Barla and Kispatta, fueled by Barla's suspicions that she was having an affair. In a fit of rage, Barla strangled Kispatta. Realizing the gravity of his actions, he devised a plan to dispose of the body. Spotting a suitcase at home, he stuffed Kispatta's remains inside. Initially contemplating a return to Odisha with the suitcase, Barla abandoned the idea upon reaching LTT, where he observed baggage scanners. Instead, he hailed an autorickshaw, and at around 2 am, while passing CST Road, Kurla, he left the suitcase behind a barricade. The police recovered the bag around 11.30 am on Sunday after it caught the attention of passers-by. Barla has now been handed over to the Kurla police for further legal proceedings.