Kolkata landlord breaks open flat for cleaning, discovers skeleton with bangles in a sealed drum

A shocking discovery was made during the cleaning and repair work of a one BHK flat in Baguiati, Kolkata. A skeleton was found inside a large plastic drum that had been sealed with cement. As per a TOI report, the flat, located on the top floor of a four-storey building, was rented by a Nepalese couple in 2018 for a period of five years. However, two years ago, the couple left the flat, locking it from the outside but continuing to pay the rent.

The landlord, Gopal Mukherjee, became concerned when he stopped receiving rent payments for the past six months. In an effort to resolve the situation, he decided to break the lock, clean the flat, and find new tenants. To his horror, he stumbled upon the skeleton while cleaning the premises.

According to Mukherjee, the couple, who were in their 30s, had been residing in the flat even during the Covid pandemic. However, they returned to Nepal in 2021. The identity of the skeleton has not been confirmed yet, as it was found with a bangle on one hand and remnants of what appeared to be a nightdress. The police have taken custody of the body and sent it for postmortem examination to determine the gender, time, and cause of death.


Mukherjee claims to have drawn up a rental agreement with the couple, but he is unable to provide any photographs or remember their names. He has, however, provided the authorities with a phone number, which is currently switched off.

"The couple had informed me that they would be returning soon and promised to continue paying the rent. Although the payments were initially on time, there were delays since last year. They did not pay for the past six months, citing financial difficulties," said Mukherjee.

On Sunday, Mukherjee hired a mason and a helper to clean and repair the flat. It was during this process that the sealed drum, located in the toilet, was discovered. As the workers attempted to break the cement cover, a strong odor emanated from the drum, revealing the skeletal remains.

Mukherjee immediately informed the police, who arrived at the scene and broke open the drum. "The presence of a bangle and fragments of a dress suggests that the skeleton may belong to a woman, but a post-mortem examination is necessary to confirm this," stated a Bidhannagar Commissionerate officer.

The police are currently trying to verify the identity of the tenants by obtaining a copy of the rental agreement from Mukherjee. They are also investigating the phone number provided by the landlord and examining banking transactions related to the rent payments.