In West Bengal, sons keep mother's body in house for 9 months

Haringhata: Two men kept their mother's body in their house at Simhat in West Bengal’s Nadia district for almost nine months and the skeleton was recovered on Sunday, police said.

Arun Saha (65) and Ajit Saha (55), both unmarried, told police that their mother Nani Bala Saha died on January 16 at the age of 85, and they could not take the body for cremation as it was very cold then.

"We thought of taking the body to the crematorium a few days later. But later, maggots formed in the body and it was not taken for cremation," the elder brother said.

Locals said the brothers did not interact much with the neighbours. Enquired about the woman's health, they would say she was ill and sleeping. But, no one was allowed to go inside their house.

A few days back, Rupak Adhikari, a local, went to the house for a survey on behalf of Haringhata Municipality. He had to measure the house and look into some documents but was not allowed inside.

Adhikari said he became suspicious and discussed this with other people and chalked out a plan.

"We formed a group of six people and sought to visit their mother this morning. When they did not allow us, a large number of people entered the house forcibly and found the skeleton on the bed. The room was shabby, dark and dirty," he said, adding the police were informed then.

The house is situated on large land and far from the main road. Apparently, that is reason why the stench from the body did not attract attention, locals said.

The brothers did not do anything for a living and led a frugal life. The younger brother was a private tutor some years ago, they said.

Police said the two brothers have been detained and are being interrogated. They seemed to have psychological problems.

In June last year, police had found a man living with the skeletons of his sister and two dogs in his house at posh Robinson Street in Kolkata.