FEBRUARY 23: Sindhi colony in Thane (East) woke up to the stench of death today, when one of the residents discovered a decomposed body hacked into five pieces in the neighbouring flat at Kpori. The body of Sadhana Rao (45), a doctor by profession, was found stuffed in a saline water tank in the kitchen. The discovery has however stumped police, with no relatives known to residents and no leads as yet. Kopri police were alerted by the local corporator who was contacted by the colony's residents who complained of a foul smell emanating from Rao's apartment at around 10.30 am. Investigating officer, Inspector S R Kamble, of Kopri police station said Rao, who has been married twice, was a recluse.On the basis of the residents' statements and circumstantial evidence, police suspect the murder was committed on February 18. They said the salt in the tank acted as a preservative and prevented the stench from spreading sooner. The local cable operator, Narayan Rohera (37), told the police that he last collectedhis fee from Rao on February 17. Since none of the neighbours saw the victim after that, police presume Rao was murdered the next day. Police also said details of Rao's personal life are sketchy.
Previously married to a police officer, who died in 1996, Rao remarried in 1997. Her second husband, whom she met through the matrimonial columns of leading newspapers, is with the Indian Army and is based at Khardi camp in Pune.
His identity has however not yet been ascertained and police are hoping to locate an advocate who handles the family's property matters. The latter also played a role in Rao's second marriage.
Copyright © 1999 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
Printer-friendly page