Two elderly sisters, who lived by themselves in Chembur, were found dead at their residence on Thursday afternoon.
The absence of forced entry and the conditions of bodies have led the police to suspect that they died in a suicide pact, although inquiries are under way.
According to the Chembur police, the deceased have been identified as Mohini and Basanti Jethvani, both over 70 years of age. The sisters were unmarried, and were staying at Trishul Apartments in Chembur.
Their deaths came to light when their neighbours became aware of a foul smell coming from their house and repeated knocking and ringing of the doorbell elicited no response, they called the Chembur police. A team was sent to the spot and the door was broken open, after which the police found decomposed bodies of the sisters on their beds.
“There were no signs of forced entry into the house, and there were no discernible injuries on the bodies. The sisters were last seen by neighbours on Tuesday, and footage of CCTV cameras at the building shows them taking in the day’s newspapers at around 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday,” said Shahaji Umap, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone VI.
The police suspect that the sisters died after consuming poison in a suicide pact, and have sent their bodies to the Rajawadi Hospital for post-mortem. “No suicide note was found, and we are working to find out whether there was a motive for them to end their lives. A search of the house has not thrown up any indications of foul play. Accidental Death Reports have been registered for now, and we are awaiting post-mortem reports,” Mr. Umap said.
The police said the level of decomposition was severe and the sisters are believed to have died on Tuesday. They might send their viscera for chemical analysis if post-mortem reports prove inconclusive. The police will on Friday start recording statements of relatives of the sisters and will go through details of their bank accounts.
