A decomposed body of an unidentified woman was discovered inside a suitcase near the Mumbai-Goa Highway, close to Durshet village in Pen taluka of Raigad district, on Monday morning, causing panic among locals. A foul smell led villagers to investigate, and they found a large suitcase abandoned in a roadside pit. Suspecting something amiss, they alerted local authorities.
“Upon receiving the information from the sarpanch of Durshet village, the police team reached the scene and confirmed the presence of a decomposed female body inside the suitcase,” Sub-Divisional Officer Gajanan Tonpe said. Prima facie, the body is suspected to be around five days old and was in a completely decomposed state. “Since it was fully decomposed, determining the cause of death or the woman’s age is difficult,” he added.
Police Inspector Sandeep Bagul from Pen police station said, “The woman could be above 25. Once the post-mortem report reaches us, we can confirm her age and cause of death.” The body has been sent to JJ Hospital for a post-mortem examination. “Considering the state of the body, it was sent to JJ. We are currently reviewing missing persons’ complaints from nearby police stations. The woman was found wearing a nightgown. The black suitcase, in which the body was forced in, was found about 100 feet away from the highway,” Tonpe added.
Initial investigations suggest that the woman was murdered approximately four to five days ago. A case of murder has been registered with Pen police, and further investigations are underway.
