In a tragic incident, the decomposed body of a 65-year-old woman was discovered in her Jamia Nagar apartment, while her husband was found in a critical state.
Their intellectually challenged son, who has a history of psychiatric illness, was found confined inside the flat, unable to call for help and reportedly telling police his parents were “sleeping.”
The shocking discovery was made late on Monday after a concerned relative, prompted by the couple’s daughter in Hong Kong, alerted police.
Officers from the Jamia Nagar police station broke down the door of the first-floor apartment in Gaffar Manzil to find the decomposed body of Aftab Jehan on her bed.
Beside her lay her husband, 70-year-old Siraz Khan, a retired music teacher from Jamia Millia Islamia, in a critical condition. He was immediately rushed to AIIMS Trauma Centre.
Inside the flat was their son, Imran alias Shally, aged around 50.
He was talking from inside but had refused to open the door, police said. He was later taken to IHBAS Hospital in Shahdara for evaluation.
According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) Hemant Tiwari, a PCR call was received at 11:10 pm on September 21.
The caller, the woman's brother, stated his sister and brother-in-law were not responding and their son was not opening the door. During questioning, the son could not speak comprehensively and kept saying his parents were sleeping.
He had been confined to the flat for three to four days without food, unable to comprehend the gravity of the situation or seek help.
Police believe the woman died a natural death due to illness, with no external injuries observed.
The exact cause of death will be determined by the post-mortem report.
The family's daughter, who lives in Hong Kong, had been trying to contact them for several days. When her calls went unanswered, she requested her maternal uncle to check on them, leading to the grim discovery.
The incident underscores the challenges faced by families caring for members with severe mental health issues, often in isolation and without adequate support systems.
Police are conducting proceedings under Section 176 of BNSS as the investigation continues.