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Two brothers die of ‘extreme malnutrition’ in Goa

Two brothers in their late twenties, a former engineer and a commerce graduate, were found dead in an apartment in Goa’s Margao and an autopsy indicated they may have died of malnutrition, police said on Thursday

Updated on: Apr 26, 2024, 05:34:16 IST
By , Panaji
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Two brothers in their late twenties, a former engineer and a commerce graduate, were found dead in an apartment in Goa’s Margao and an autopsy indicated they may have died of malnutrition, police said on Thursday.

The deaths came to light after police broke into a flat at Aquem-Margao on Wednesday. (Getty Images)
The deaths came to light after police broke into a flat at Aquem-Margao on Wednesday. (Getty Images)

The deaths came to light after police broke into a flat at the Paradise Apartment at Aquem-Margao late on Wednesday, alerted by the father of the two men, who were living with their mother.

Officials described the bodies of the two men as having been in a state of extreme emaciation, and the mother was found unconscious at home and admitted to critical care at a local hospital.

South Goa Superintendent of Police Sunita Sawant said the post-mortem report confirmed the initial suspicions of “extreme malnutrition.” The viscera has been preserved for further examination, and the bodies have been handed over to relatives for final rites.

The father, a cloth merchant from Belgaum, Karnataka, was living separately but visited the family every few days. He told police that his wife and sons refused to let him inside or accept his provisions.

The elder sibling, a mechanical engineer, was 29 and his brother 27-year-old.

An uncle of the deceased suggested that unemployment-induced depression could have led to the tragedy. “Both the boys were well educated and unemployed. The elder son was a mechanical engineer, and the younger son was a commerce graduate. They were the kind who would not ask for anyone’s help,” he said.

The building is located close to the Masjid-e-Siddique mosque.

Neighbours and locals expressed shock and confusion, with one saying, “Over the last month, things didn’t seem right. No one was moving in and out of the flat.”

Police said the circumstances surrounding the deaths remain unclear until the mother, who has a history of psychiatric illness, recovers enough to provide a statement.

  • Gerard de Souza
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Gerard de Souza

    Gerard de Souza is a Special Correspondent based in Goa and has been reporting on and about issues concerning the state and the wider western coast of India for over 18 years. His wide range of stories covers politics, crime, environment and tourism-related concerns emerging from India’s smallest state. Born and brought up in Goa, he has a deep understanding of the former Portuguese enclave’s evolution from a laidback collection of idyllic villages that first drew flower power generation of counter culture enthusiasts to its shores to one that has become synonymous in Indian popular culture with an aspirational holiday, seeing the best (and worst) that holidayers have to offer. He also keenly follows criminal trials. Most notably, he covered the trial surrounding the killing of Scarlett Keeling, a British teenager found dead on Anjuna beach, and that of Danielle McLaughlin similarly killed in south Goa, among others. He authored the book ‘Crimes of Passion: When Desire Turns Deadly,’ chronicling cases of romance turning to rage and murder. A graduate of Goa University, he learnt the trade on the job and has experience on both the reporting and editorial sides of the profession. When not sniffing around for a worthy headline, he likes to spend time outdoors to help ensure his heart is always in the right place.Read More