A decomposed body was found in a manhole off Keshab Chandra Sen Street on Friday morning during drain-cleaning work by Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) workers, following a family’s complaint about a choked drain.
The body was retrieved and taken to Medical College Kolkata, where the man was officially declared dead.
Police said the initial post-mortem report indicated no injuries before death. “There were no ante-mortem homicidal injuries on the body,” an officer said.
An unnatural death case has been registered at Amherst Street police station.
Joint commissioner (crime) Rupesh Kumar said: “A decomposed male body was found in a manhole around 11.30am on Friday. The body was in an advanced stage of decomposition. KMC workers found it while working at 136 KC Sen Street.”
Workers had opened the manhole following the residents’ complaint. They alerted the KMC and the police.
“We were told not to touch the body and leave the rest to the police,” said a resident of the area.
The manhole, located in a narrow by-lane flanked by residential buildings, had not been opened in a long time.
KMC sources said manholes are cleared periodically, but officials could not specify the exact frequency. Another official added that cleaning occurs “as and when required,” usually in response to complaints or heavy rains.
The near-skeletal remains of the corpse suggest that the KMC’s drain-cleaning practices may be inadequate.
Police officers said it was still unclear how the body had ended up there. “The body had clothes on it. It is not easy to remove a manhole cover without proper equipment or expertise. A detailed probe has been started,” said a senior officer of Amherst Street police station.
The police said they would seek information from the KMC on when this particular manhole was last opened.
The advanced stage of decomposition means it may take time to identify the body, they added.