Navi Mumbai cop murder: Police rent special equipment to locate her mortal remains

According to the police, Bidre was hacked to pieces by her lover, senior police inspector Abhay Kurundkar in April 2016

The Navi Mumbai police plan to bring Mahesh Phalnikar, 48, one of the accused arrested in connection with the murder of API Ashwini Bidre-Gore, to Vasai creek soon to help find the spot where he disposed of the iron trunk carrying her body parts, said sources.

According to the police, Bidre was hacked to pieces by her lover, senior police inspector Abhay Kurundkar in April 2016. (FILE)

According to the police, Bidre was hacked to pieces by her lover, senior police inspector Abhay Kurundkar, in April 2016. The police resumed search for her mortal remains, as part of a 20-day plan, from Wednesday.

Sources said the Navi Mumbai police will deploy a magnetic gradiometer, used for metal exploration, to locate the iron trunk. “We will get the machine in the next five-six days. The rent is around Rs2 lakh a day,” said the source.

The police are taking help of a CBD-based private firm, Ocean Science and Surveying Private Limited , and National Institute of Oceanography. “The experts will conduct a survey to understand the pattern of the current in the creek and study the seabed,” said Nilesh Raut, assistant commissioner of police (crime branch).

Prashant Kadam, additional superintendent of police (ASP), Thane Rural, said, “The team resumed the search operations at 1.30pm.”