Maharashtra: Killer couple held for ‘packing off’ pesky ex-GF

Nayana Mahant and Manohar Shukla, the alleged killer. Pics/Hanif Patel

A 34-year-old costume designer has been arrested for allegedly killing his 28-year-old former girlfriend in Naigaon and disposing of her body in Valsad in Gujarat. The killer apparently rode with the body in the front of his scooter in a trolley bag with his wife riding pillion carrying their one-year-old baby.

Manohar Shukla, the alleged killer, had been in a relationship with the deceased Nayna Mahant - a hairdresser working for soap operas on a freelance basis in Naigaon. She was killed on August 9, the eve of her birthday, at her flat in Naigaon East. Nayna's elder sister Jaya disclosed that Shukla cheated on Nayna and got married to another woman, Purnima, in 2019. She further claimed, "The killer had been planning to kill Nayna since 2019." Police sources revealed that Nayna wanted to marry Shukla and had been in touch with him even after learning he was already married.

The killer with his wife and child seen in CCTV footage in the lift in the victim's building; (right) Manohar Shukla in police custody. Pics/Hanif Patel

Jaya further shared the details, saying, "Before lockdown, Shukla planned to take my sister to Tungareshwar where his wife also accompanied him on the motorcycle. The trio reached Tungareshwar on one motorcycle. I don't know what went wrong, but at the time of returning home, my sister was thrown off the motorcycle and later she was pulled by her hair for a certain distance due to which there were deep wounds all over her body. They left my sister bleeding in the jungle, believing that she would die." But, some passers-by rushed Nayna to a hospital. Jaya recounted, "My sister had been trying to register an FIR against Shukla but cops did not co-operate. I have a copy of her medical treatment at a hospital in July 2019."

Rape case registered

In August 2019, Nayna filed an FIR against Shukla, his wife Purnima, and brother Arjun, alleging that she was raped inside a room. She stated, "The FIR was registered on August 17, 2019. Subsequently, Shukla was arrested, but the remaining two accused managed to secure bail from Vasai court." She further alleged that after coming out of jail, Shukla had been mounting pressure on Nayna to withdraw her case against him, but she was adamant to punish the trio. Advocate Ashley Cusher, who represented Nayna in court, said, "It is disheartening to learn of Nayna, who feared that her ex, who had concealed the details of his preceding marriage, might kill her. Trial proceedings for the Waliv case are still ongoing. I hope she receives the justice she has been desiring."

Nayna Mahant; (right) Jaya Mahant, Nayna's sister

Regarding Nayna's plans, Jaya explained, "My sister had told me that she is about to go to the USA for a shoot for which she was planning to get a visa. A person from the industry had called me as my sister's number was not reachable." "After I returned from Khandala, I visited Naigaon, but again the door was locked, so I went to Nalasopara. Next day, August 14, I registered a missing complaint on at Naigaon police station," she added.

CCTV reveals details

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A few weeks after registering the missing complaint, there was no progress. The victim's sister got a duplicate key made and entered the house. She found her documents and trolley bag missing from her flat. She checked the CCTV footage and saw Shukla entering the flat with her on August 9. He came back twice, empty-handed both times. In the night, he entered the flat with his wife and came back with the same trolley bag that was missing.

After the footage was shown to the police, a team called Shukla for questioning. "After thorough questioning, Shukla spilled the beans, and we placed him under arrest on Monday evening," said Assistant Commissioner of Police Padmaja Bade from Mira Bhayandar Vasai Virar (MBVV) police.

Shukla's confession

During interrogation, Shukla told police that on August 9 he met Nayna and wanted her to withdraw the case. She did not agree and this led to an argument. "In a fit of rage, I drowned her in a water-filled bucket for five minutes and later when she fell unconscious, I laid her on the bed and went back," Shukla told his interrogators. The killer returned to Nayna's flat to check her condition but when she did not respond, Shukla went home and came back with his wife to dispose of the body. "Shukla came back with his wife Purnima and one-year-old daughter on the motorcycle. They stuffed the body inside the trolley bag, which Shukla kept near his feet on the scooter while his wife rode pillion carrying the baby on August 9 night," said Bade.

Shukla travelled on the scooter to Valsad and disposed the body in a khadi on the highway, he also dumped the trolley bag on the other side of the highway. The Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Pournima Chougule Shringi said, "We have registered a case, Shukla's wife Purnima was also arrested." Further investigations are underway.

Body recovered

"The body was recovered by Pardi police in the Valsad district of Gujarat, where we are sending a team," said DCP Shringi from MBVV police. A PSI Ashoksinh Dodiya from Pardi police station said, "We recovered the body of a woman on August 12. It was in a decomposed condition. The face was beyond recognition, but there was a Trishul tattoo on her body. Also, she was wearing a chain with an Om pendant. We sent the body for post-mortem, and the cause of her death is yet to be revealed. Since the body was filled with maggots, we had to dispose it of."