Kolkata corpse case: Police interrogate Partha in presence of nuns

Two nuns of the Mother Teresa-founded Missionaries of Charity as well as police on Wednesday interacted with Partha De, who lived with the corpses of his sister Debjani and two dogs for months, and is now under treatment in a mental hospital.

The nuns came down to the Calcutta Pavlov Hospital following a request from the medical facility after Partha repeatedly pleaded that he be allowed to meet them.

After the nuns spoke to Partha, five Kolkata Police officers interrogated him by placing before him a set of questions in the presence of the sisters.

"Asked why the skeletons of the two pet dogs had not been disposed of, he said the dogs were like children to his elder sister Debjani and so the skeletons were kept in the room," a senior police officer said.

Partha said he realised on December 29 that Debjani had died after fasting for a few months.

He said he was staying with her corpse since then, as he could not even dream of living without her, according to the officer.

Partha also told police that in March, his father Arabinda De discovered Debjani's corpse and asked him to cremate it. However, Partha refused.

He also refused to accept the body of his father, who had committed suicide by setting himself afire last week. He also did not want to give the corpse to his uncle.

Police on June 10 stumbled upon the maggot-infested skeletons of Debjani and two dogs while investigating the death of her father Arabinda, the owner of the house whose burnt body was found inside a bathroom.

Police have so far not pressed any formal charges against Partha.