'Indian-origin woman lived with dead husband for weeks'

An Indian-origin woman in New Zealand is suspected to have lived with her dead husband's body for weeks until the stench forced the neighbours to call the police, a media report said Friday.

The body, recovered on August 30 in a flat in Porirua city, is believed to be that of Debiprasad Majumdar, the Sydney Morning Herald reported on Friday.

It was Majumdar's neighbour, who wanted to be named as Rebecca, who led the police to the flat after her attempts failed to convince Majumdar's wife to give up her dead husband's body.

According to Rebecca, she saw Majumdar in late July. "He was very social and he was happy," she was quoted as saying.

On August 6, the neighbour went to the Indian couple's house to ask Majumdar if he could feed her cat while she was away.

His wife instead spoke to Rebecca through a window crack, explaining her husband was unavailable - but she would feed the cat.

Rebecca thought something smelled unpleasant, but when she returned on August 21 the stench was unbearable.

The wife told neighbours that the stench was emanating from "rubbish".

She sent away housing inspectors, saying it wasn't a good time to come inside.

When Rebecca's offer of help was also rejected, she decided to call police.

A policeman had to force his way inside the house to find Majumdar's body covered by a sheet. Police have described the scene as "bizarre" and are investigating whether after death rituals were being conducted.

Although the body did not have injury marks, police were open to the possibility of foul play as they awaited toxicology results.

Majumdar's wife was in community care and not under arrest, Detective Senior Sergeant Grant Ferguson said.