‘Manvat Murders’ Ending Explained And Series Recap: Who Is The Murderer?

Our nation calls itself secular, but in reality, we’ve seen countless killings and murders in the name of caste, creed, religion, and superstition. These horrific acts happen almost every day, which is truly disturbing when you think about it. The new series Manvat Murders on SonyLIV explores these dark aspects and how they impact communities and make people’s lives miserable in the name of rituals and blind beliefs. Set in 1973, Manvat Murders revolves around eight brutal killings in a small village called Manvat which are all connected to a disturbing ritual. The murderers targeted women, with blood taken from their private parts as part of the ritual, and the eighth victim was a young boy. Despite numerous efforts, the local police failed to catch the killer. Now, Mumbai police officer Ramakant Kulkarni is tasked with solving these horrifying crimes and uncovering the dark truth behind them. Will Kulkarni find the culprit and bring justice to the village? Let’s see how the mystery gets solved. 

Spoilers Ahead


Why was Samindri arrested? 

When Ramakant Kulkarni first arrived in Manvat to investigate the murders, he learned that four young girls and three women had been killed where their private parts were wounded by sharp objects to draw blood, possibly for some kind of ritual. Since the village lacked education and most people were superstitious, the true motive behind these killings wasn’t clear. The first suspects in this case were Uttamrao Barhate, the village chairman, and his second wife, Rukmini. Rumor had it that Uttamrao had been unfaithful to his first wife and son, and now lived with Rukmini, who had helped him start a liquor business in the village. Rukmini, known for her beauty, had lured Uttamrao into her schemes, and together they tried to find treasure under the peepal tree near their house. People started to spread rumors that the ritualistic murders were linked to this treasure hunt. Though they had been arrested, as people feared them for their power in the village, they kept anyone from testifying against them. They were eventually banished from Manvat, but even after their departure, the murders continued, so they were allowed back into the village as they were no longer suspects.

One thing stood out in the investigation: all the victims’ bodies were found near the village’s Pandhrya temples, which were believed to hide treasures. This led the police to suspect that someone with knowledge of black magic might be involved and the attention turned to Kachhu Ladeeb, also known as Kaachu Paku, who was known for performing superstitious rituals. However, when he was questioned, Kaachu claimed he only performed rituals to earn a living and denied any connection to the murders. Another suspect was Shankar, who would hover around whenever the police came to the village to investigate. He admitted that he worked for Uttamrao and Rukmini for 15 rupees and some liquor, but denied committing any murders, though he hinted that he knew who was responsible.

Similarly, Tukya, who roamed the village scaring people with a dangerous mask which looked like a face of a demon, confessed that his actions were just an act, as he was a fan of drama, but he also claimed to know about the killers, though he refused to reveal their names. Just as the investigation seemed to stall, another murder took place, but this eighth murder was of a young boy named Kondya, which was really odd since all previous victims were female. The police were stunned, but soon Kondya’s friend, Babu, who was also a young boy, came forward with a witness statement. Babu told the police that he had seen Samindri, a woman who worked for Uttamrao and Rukmini, send Kondya to look for a lost goat. Soon after, two men named Bajya and Palya followed Kondya and killed him, and as Babu happened to be at the same place when the murder happened, Samindri came and warned Babu not to tell the police, but the little boy showed courage and he spoke up. Samindri, Bajya, and Palya were arrested and taken into custody. However, the mystery behind those murder of the girls still remained unsolved.


Who was responsible for the murders? 

Ramakant Kulkarni had been in this field for many years and knew how to push the right buttons to get the truth out. He realized that Samindri was scared but knew everything about the murders, so he made her an offer that if she became the prime witness, he promised to take care of her daughter, send her to school, and ensure Samindri spent fewer years in prison. But if she stayed silent, she would face the death penalty. At first, Samindri was resistant, but to protect her daughter, she eventually opened up, and the truth was really shocking. Rukmini, who was Uttamrao Barhate’s wife, was barren and desperate to have children, so she’d turned to a black magic practitioner named Ganpat Salve, who promised her that she would have a child or he would give her her money back. Ganpat performed a ritual, and Shankar helped by pretending to be possessed to make the couple believe that if they sacrificed the blood of virgin girls, Rukmini would get pregnant, and they would find treasure beneath their house, but neither a baby nor treasure appeared even after two murders.

But, Ganpat didn’t want to return the 100 rupees he had taken from them, as he needed it to treat his daughter’s tuberculosis. So, he lied and claimed that the girls being sacrificed weren’t actually virgins, which is why the rituals failed. This allowed him to keep taking their money while the murders continued. Sopan and Yashwant, two of the people involved, carried out the murders. But when the couple was briefly jailed, the killings stopped for a while but, after that, the killings began again, as this time the target was not girls but women to confuse the police. As Ramakant had worked out that this had something to do with superstition and that women being the victims was relevant, Rukmini tried to trick him, so she ordered Samindri to kill a boy instead this time. Samindri’s lover, Sopan, didn’t want to kill Kondya, who was his nephew, so Samindri took the help of Bajya and Palya to do the job. Throughout all this, Samindri tried to secretly warn the police by sending anonymous letters, especially after the second murder, but they failed to act in time, and the murders continued. Actually Samindri was a helpless woman who tried to protect her daughter, but by the end, as the murders escalated she realized this village was not a safe place anymore, and her masters would not take care of her daughter. So, she finally decided to reveal the truth to the world to bring an end to the horror.

In Manvat Murders’ ending, those involved in the murders were brought to justice, where Sopan, Yashwant, and Tukya, were hanged. However, Samindri wasn’t given the death penalty, because as promised, Ramakant kept his word and made her the prime witness, which reduced her sentence. She went to jail for a short time, while Ramakant took responsibility for her daughter’s education to make sure she went to school. He wanted the girl to grow up educated, free from the grip of superstition, black magic, and harmful rituals, so she could become an independent woman. Ramakant believed that society is shaped by its people and if people don’t change, the cycle of cultural hatred, caste and religious divisions, and belief in the supernatural will continue. It was a sad truth he had witnessed throughout his career, and maybe that is why he hoped that small steps, like helping the next generation, would surely make a difference.


Sutanuka Banerjee
Sutanuka Banerjee
Sutanuka, a devoted movie enthusiast, embarked on her cinematic journey since childhood, captivated by the enchanting world of the Harry Potter series. This early passion ignited her love for movies, providing an escape into the magical realms of cinema. She is currently pursuing a master's degree in media science, combining her academic pursuits with her unwavering passion for the silver screen.


 

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