Kolkata, 9 December (H.S.):

Police on Tuesday recovered the decomposed body of a 64-year-old man from a locked residence in south Kolkata’s Kasba area, where his wife and daughter had reportedly remained with the corpse for several days.

The deceased has been identified as Sumit Sen, a retired employee of a private organisation. The body was sent for autopsy, and police said the cause and time of death will be confirmed after the post-mortem examination.

According to officials, neighbours alerted a relative after none of the family members were seen outside the house for nearly three days. Although the daughter responded to phone calls, she allegedly avoided putting her parents on the line, raising suspicion. Relatives and locals reached the residence on Tuesday but found the door locked from inside. Police were informed thereafter.

A senior officer said the door was forced open by a team from Kasba police station. “The body was found in a decomposed condition. The wife and daughter were inside the room. The foul smell was noticeable. We are examining all circumstances leading to the incident,” the officer said.

Preliminary information suggests that all three members of the family had been suffering from mental health issues and lived in a state of isolation. Neighbours said they rarely stepped out of the house following Sumit’s retirement.

The incident has drawn comparisons with several past cases in Kolkata where bodies were found inside homes days or months after death, including the widely reported Robinson Street case of 2015.

Police said investigation is underway to ascertain how long the body remained inside the house and whether the family members were aware of the death.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh