Ashwini Bidre murder case: Cops tracing body hit a dead end

Ashwini Bidre

After three separate search operations, and that too with the help of hi-tech machines, in Vasai creek, the Navi Mumbai police, which is investigating the murder of policewoman Ashwini Bidre, seem to have hit a dead end.

They have been trying to find the metal trunk in which main accused Abhay Kurundkar put the dismembered body parts of Bidre, before dumping it in the creek, as confessed by his friend and co-accused Mahesh Phalnikar. But even after roping in an international agency as well as equipment, they have come up empty-handed in all three attempts.

According to a source, experts part of the search operation told the police that it is impossible to trace the trunk as it's been over two years. Also, there is no other advanced technique available that can help in the task.

"This has definitely halted the investigation; I am afraid to say but we've hit a dead end," confessed an officer. "To prove a murder, we need some part of her (Ashwini) body or DNA, and till now, we haven't got any success. This has left us clueless about the further course of action."

The police carried out the first search operation with the help of Navy divers but found nothing. They then brought in metal detectors to trace the trunk underwater. Later, on experts' advice, another search was carried out with a special instrument, gradiometer, which also failed. In the final attempt, cops procured a magnetometer from Iran, which can specifically locate metal objects underwater, but even after searching with it for two days, they couldn't find anything.