Mumbai man’s decomposed body found in sprawling flat in Colaba high-rise

The house had no electricity and had completely gone into ruin due to the long period of neglect, police said

The decomposed body of a 65-year-old man was found in his 4-BHK flat in a high-rise in south Mumbai’s Colaba area on Friday.

The house had no electricity and had completely gone into ruin due to the long period of neglect, police said (FILE)

The man, identified as Al Farooque Kabali, lived alone in the 30th floor flat of the building on SVS Road, after divorcing his wife three years ago, police said.

The house had no electricity and had completely gone into ruin due to the long period of neglect, police said.

Kabali’s wife stayed at a flat in Malabar Hill, their two sons were in the United States and Muscat in Oman while a married daughter stayed in Mumbai, police said.

Officials said the incident came to light on Thursday afternoon after a watchman of the housing complex went up to Kabali’s flat to paste a notice informing that water seepage from the flat was causing problems to the one on the 29th floor.

A foul smell was emanating from the flat, officials said, following which the watchman alerted other housing society members as well as the police.

The Colaba police, along with fire services personnel, rushed to the spot, broke open the door and found Kabali’s decomposed body, he said.

“Electricity to the flat was discontinued by BEST almost two years ago due to non-payment of bills,” police official Babasaheb Salunkhe, who visited the flat, said.

He said that Kabali’s former wife had refused to claim the body and police had contacted the children and were awaiting a response.

Although the death seems natural, the police have registered a case of accidental death.

“We have registered an ADR and are investigating further. The body is with us until his relatives claim it,” said Manoj Kumar Sharma, deputy commissioner of police (zone 1).

With PTI inputs