Mumbai: The family of a dead woman stayed with her decomposing body in a hotel room in Sakinaka for 10 days, before the woman’s son returned to Mumbai and informed the police, according to officials.
Abdul Karim Suleman Halai, 82, Naseema Yusuf Halai, 48, her 26-year-old daughter, and Halai’s son and grandson checked into Hotel Grandeur on December 21, 2023.
According to the police, Naseema soon fell ill with vomiting and diarrhoea, and died on February 8.
Naseema daughter insisted on postponing the last rites until her brother, Yaseen, returned from London, the police said.
“Naseema, a tuition teacher, was unwell for five months, experiencing vomiting and dehydration 15 to 20 days before her death,” Senior Inspector Gabaji Chimate said.
“Her daughter is a 26-year-old law student. She is dealing with psychiatric issues and is on medication. The daughter insisted on waiting for her brother to return from London. Preliminary investigations have revealed no foul play. The hotel staff, assuming a rat might be the source of the odour, searched, but nothing was found. The family, adhering to the daughter’s wishes, did not do the last rites,” he said.
“Naseema’s son works in London. He was informed about his mother’s death, but he couldn’t return promptly.”
Upon arrival, Yaseen informed the police on Sunday. The Sakinaka police obtained the body, sent it to Rajawadi Hospital for post-mortem, and registered an accidental death report.
Simultaneously, Naseema’s daughter was admitted to RN Cooper Hospital for psychiatric evaluation.
