Feb. 23: Rounds of persuasion have finally worked.

Partho De's uncle Arun De today acceded to a Catholic priest's request to accept his nephew's body, lying unclaimed at the SSKM Hospital morgue since Tuesday, and perform his last rites.

Metro was there this afternoon when Father Rodney Borneo of the Archdiocese of Calcutta locked an elderly De in a warm hug as he stepped into Loyola High School in Kidderpore to discuss Partho's last rites.

"I being the uncle of Partho De will claim the body and perform the last rites. I came here today to express this wish to Father Rodney, who had all along been by my nephew's side and gave him a new life," De, in his 70s, told this newspaper.

"My nephew was a very cultured, very friendly, and, above all, he was a great gentleman," he said, before proceeding to Watgunge police station, where he conveyed the family's stand to the officers.

The body is likely to be handed over to the family tomorrow.

Partho, who was mentally unwell, had lived with sister Debjani's corpse for six months. The skeleton of Debjani, along with that of two dogs, were discovered when he led cops investigating father Arabindo's suicide into her room at 3 Robinson Street in June 2015.

Partho has hinted in his autobiography, excerpts from which were printed in Metro today, that Debjani had not been cremated because he believed in resurrection.

Partho was found dead with burn injuries in the bathroom of his Kidderpore apartment (where he had moved after being discharged from Pavlov hospital) on Tuesday, in much the same way his father's body was found on June 10, 2015.

The death came around the time people close to Partho felt he had recovered from his mental condition.

Like yesterday, Father Rodney called up Partho's uncle today to try and persuade him to claim his nephew's body. He was successful this time.

"Partho is gone. We are not aware of what had happened in the family when he was alive. Now that he is no more, we would request you to forget what had happened and claim his body," the priest told De.

Church sources said several priests and sisters of the Missionaries of Charity who had stood by Partho in his most trying period were "very, very sad" seeing the body lying unclaimed in the morgue.

"Some of the sisters had been crying since yesterday. Partho does not deserve this. His mortal remains should be cremated with dignity and respect. He is no more. Why can't we bid him goodbye in a respectful manner?" asked a priest.

Had the family not claimed the body, it would have been kept at the morgue for a week and then handed over to anyone willing to perform the last rites.

The police had contacted Partho's uncle as no one in his immediate family is alive but De reportedly refused to accept the body.

The family was reluctant to claim Partho's body even when the church authorities approached them yesterday. After repeated appeals by the church, De finally changed his mind this afternoon.

At Loyola High School, Partho's uncle, son Arjun and a lawyer by his side, broke down several times while discussing with Father Rodney the arrangements for his nephew's final journey.

De was in tears when the priest recounted how Partho gradually returned to normal life and started taking interest in all kinds of activities, like any other person.

The uncle said the De family was "indebted" to all those who had been supportive to his nephew, particularly Father Rodney and other priests, and sisters of the Missionaries of Charity.

He quoted from Bible (Mathew 25:40) - "Truly I say to you, as you did it one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me" - to express his gratitude to all of them.

"Partho had got a new life. It was all because of Father Rodney. His (Father Rodney) presence, his companionship, kindness and understanding had contributed immensely in transforming Partho to a new person. But destiny had willed otherwise. That is the tragic part of it. We are indebted to Father Rodney," he said.