Mysterious Murder of Pratima Kispatta: Woman’s Body Found in Suitcase, Youth Arrested

Mumbai Crime Branch Arrests 21-Year-Old Youth for Murder of Woman Found in Suitcase

The Mumbai city crime branch has successfully cracked the mysterious murder case of a woman whose body was discovered in a suitcase on Saturday. The 21-year-old suspect, Aksar Manoj Barla, was arrested for strangulating the victim and dumping her body.

The joint operation conducted by crime branch units 11 and 5 led to the arrest of Barla, a native of Odisha who was residing in the Dharavi slums along with the deceased. The victim, identified as Pratima Kispatta (25), was also from Odisha. According to the police, the exact motive behind the murder is still unknown, but preliminary inquiries suggest that the accused, who was in a live-in relationship with the victim, had a heated argument that escalated into violence.

The discovery of the woman’s body came to light when locals alerted the police about a suspicious suitcase near a garden on the CST-Kurla road. Upon opening the suitcase, they found the unidentified woman’s body. The only identifying feature was a cross pendant she wore around her neck. The body was sent for post mortem, and the Kurla police registered a murder case.

Raj Tilak Roaushan, deputy commissioner of police (crime), stated that the immediate priority for the police was to identify the victim. Fortunately, the deceased’s sister recognized her from circulated pictures. Police investigations revealed that the victim and the accused were both from Odisha and had recently started living together.

During the questioning, the accused confessed to strangulating the victim in a fit of rage after a petty argument. He then decided to dispose of the body by placing it in a suitcase. On Saturday morning, he hired an auto-rickshaw from Sion and instructed the driver to wait while he handed over the baggage to someone. The suspect’s arrest brings some closure to the case, although further investigations are ongoing.

The Mumbai crime branch, with its swift and dedicated efforts, has once again demonstrated its commitment to solving crimes and ensuring justice for the victims.