The decomposed body of a 90-year-old woman was found inside her rented apartment in north-central Kolkata’s Beleghata where she lived with her daughter.
Police said that on being alerted by neighbours about a stench coming from the flat, they found that her daughter was inside all along but apparently did not feel the need to alert anyone after her mother’s death.
Senior officers said the daughter is suspected to be mentally disturbed.
The nonagenarian woman, who used to go out for morning walks, had injured her waist after a fall a few weeks ago. Neighbours did not see her outdoors after that.
On Monday, when neighbours complained about a foul smell, a team of officers went to the address. On knocking the door, her 60-year-old daughter answered.
“She said her mother had fallen and got injured. She said her mother is dead and lying on the bed,” said an officer of Beleghata police station.
At 41, Badan Roy Lane, the police found the old woman’s body lying in her bed inside a mosquito net.
“It was apparent that the body was a few days old and her daughter was mentally unstable to report it. The body has been removed and sent for post-mortem to ascertain the cause of her death,” said deputy commissioner (eastern suburban division) Priyabrata Roy.
An unnatural death case has been registered with Beleghata police station. “During the probe, it was found that the daughter started living with her mother after her husband’s death,” said an officer of Beleghata police station.
Police said they were trying to contact other family members or relatives of the victim.
