The Delhi Police on Thursday were shocked when they saw the decomposed body a 64-year-old retired scientist lying on a broken folding cot in a house, with his two siblings staying there without raising an alarm.
Yesterday, the police were informed by the field officer of the Pusa Institute, Sonu Kumar, of a foul smell emanating from one of the quarters on the campus.
Kumar told the police that as he traced the source of the foul smell to the quarter of retired scientist Yashvir Sood, he attempted to enter the house, but Sood's sister did not let him in.
He then informed the police, who arrived at the spot, forcibly entered Sood's house and found the scientist's decomposing body lying on a bed.
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It is suspected that Sood died of malnutrition around three-four days ago but his two younger siblings, Harish and Kamla, both said to be mentally disturbed, did not inform anyone of his demise, Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Vijay Kumar said.
Sood had retired as a principal scientist from Pusa Institute's nuclear science department on March 31 at the age of 62 and was living with his two younger siblings at an abandoned government quarter, he said, adding that the police could not trace any other family member.
Sood's father was also a scientist at the institute.
The police have learnt that Sood was an alcoholic and was under severe depression before his retirement.
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Sood's siblings have been admitted to the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS) by the police.
Sood had not withdrawn a single penny either from his pension or gratuity funds.
In the past too, Delhi NCR saw similar cases.
In July, a 70-year-old mentally unstable man was found living with the decomposed body of his brother in northeast Delhi’s Karawal Nagar area. According to police, the brother, a 68-year-old teacher, had died nine days ago. Unable to comprehend that his brother was no more, the man continued living with the body in their house.
In October 2016, an ailing 90-year-old man was found living with the corpse of his wife in his Kalkaji house. The police said the body had decomposed beyond recognition and it was lying on the floor.
According to the cops, the man, Govind Ram Jethani, was suffering from severe malnutrition and was shifted to a private hospital.
In November 2016, Neeraj Sharma, 40, was found dead in his flat at AVJ Heights Society in Greater Noida. Sharma worked as an accountant at a private firm in Mayur Vihar, lived alone and was allegedly an alcoholic, according to his neighbours.
