‘Emotionally attached’ kin preserve Mumbai man’s body for 4 years after natural death: Police

In a case that has drawn attention for its emotional attachment to the deceased, the family of an 80-year-old man from Mumbai has preserved his body for over four years, spending more than ₹50 lakh on the process, police disclosed on Wednesday. Ruling out any foul play, authorities confirmed the man passed away in 2022 after battling cancer, kidney failure, and other age-related ailments.

The family, initially keeping the body in a freezer at their residence in Mumbai's Malad area, later moved it to a local dispensary when their building underwent redevelopment, which subsequently closed down.

Expressing their "deep emotional attachment", the family's wife and two children, including a lawyer daughter, opted against conducting the final rites. As the facility they were using closed, the family began exploring options to transport the body to a location in the United States that offers long-term cryopreservation services.

The unusual preservation process came to light through a tip-off from cops, who found no suspicious elements, stating the death was natural. No formal case has been registered, and the family is presently deliberating whether to continue with sending the body abroad or perform the final rites.