In the dense forest of Bidwadi‑Humbarne, investigators found Smita Mane’s body hanging from a tree, surrounded by strands of cut hair and a belt that police say belonged to her husband.
Reshma Jadhav, Smita’s sister, filed a complaint alleging that Sachin Mane had repeatedly questioned her character and subjected her to physical and mental harassment, including an incident where he struck her with a belt at night.
The couple’s son reported that his mother had vanished two days earlier; Sachin filed a missing‑person report on 8 October, claiming she had left home without notice.
Police seized the belt, Smita’s mobile phone and the hair strands for forensic analysis. The body is undergoing post‑mortem at CPR Hospital in Kolhapur, with the cause of death to be released after the report.
The case is being led by Inspector Vikas Badve of Kudal. Sachin Mane will be produced in court on Tuesday, where he will face a murder charge, while the local community mourns the loss of a police constable who had served in the Sindhudurg district for several years.