More secrets tumble out of Kolkata’s ‘house of horrors’

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However, what added to the mystery and eeriness of the house are certain letters and a diary, apart from eight laptops and desktop computers, which the police recovered during a search. The diary is purportedly written by 44-year-old Partho De, Arabinda’s son and the only living member of the family.

A top police officer said excerpts in the diary imply that Partho could have been sexually frustrated. He said, Partho had written about his deceased mother calling him “impotent” and trying to get him into a physical relationship with the domestic helps. In an entry, Partho said that during an outstation trip, his sister, Debjani, had tried to get physically intimate with him. Partho had allegedly kept Debjani’s skeleton preserved in his bedroom.

The letter box outside the apartment in Kolkata. (Source: Express photo by Subham Dutta)

DCP (South) Muralidhar, however, said anything can be said only after Partho, who has been admitted to city’s Pavlov Mental Hospital, is interrogated. “He has written thousands of incoherent words. We need to talk to him to confirm what he meant by such entries. It could be that he has written something he had read somewhere or they could be a figment of his imagination,” the DC said.

He added that the police will seek permission from court and interrogate Partho in the presence of psychiatrists.
Ghosh, meanwhile, said, several letters were found in the apartment that were, surprisingly, exchanged by the occupants of the apartment to communicate between themselves.

In fact, some letters revealed that the writer was quite depressed while the person who replied tried to console the writer, Ghosh said. “We are unsure who wrote the letters and to whom. We are trying to find out. This can be a good clue in the case,” the police officer said.

On forensic tests on the skeleton, allegedly that of Debjani, Ghosh said: “Tests are being conducted. The DNA sample will be sent to ascertain the identity of the skeleton.” Ghosh said that there was no injury mark on the skeleton that may have led to the death of Debjani.

Ghosh said that during their primary investigation, doctors suggested that no chemicals were used to preserve the skeletons inside the apartment. It was also baffling why none in the locality smelt the stench of
the dead bodies although the doctors have ruled out use of chemicals to preserve the skeleton, he added.

Regarding the skeletons of two pet dogs, Ghosh said that opinions of doctors at SSKM was sought before sending them to veterinary surgeons to ascertain the cause of their deaths.

Police have also spoken to Arobindo’s brother Arun, who lives next door, besides the security guard of the building.
“The De family had no connection with the outside world. They had no domestic help and had severed connections with their relatives as well. But we are probing all possible angles in this case,” he said.

Meanwhile, a medical team comprising three psychologists and two doctors has been set up to check on Partho’s mental health. “He is not speaking to anyone. In fact, he said he was spiritually connected to his father, sister and the two dogs. He even asked us to shift him to Mother House (of Missionaries of Charity),” said Ganesh Prasad, superintendent of Pavlov Mental Hospital.

Prasad said Partho is suffering from neurological and dermatological problems. “Looks like he had not taken a shower for a long time. He wants to live in isolation, but since there is a history of suicides in his family, we have kept him under round-the-clock vigil,” he added.

Hospital sources said that Partho had not had any food last night. Friday morning, he had breakfast but refused lunch. When doctors persisted, he threw away the plate.