‘Emotionally attached’ kin preserve Mumbai man’s body for 4 years after natural death: Police
A Mumbai family has kept the body of their deceased relative in a freezer for four years due to deep emotional attachment. Police have ruled out foul play and confirmed the man died of natural causes, while the family considers options for long-term cryopreservation.
Why it matters
The case highlights extreme manifestations of grief and raises ethical and legal questions regarding the long-term preservation of human remains outside of formal mortuary settings.
The family of an 80-year-old Mumbai man who died four years ago has preserved his body due to “deep emotional attachment”, spending over ₹50 lakh in the process, police said on Wednesday (September 30, 2026).
Ruling out any foul play, the police said the man passed away in 2022 after suffering from cancer, kidney failure, and other age-related ailments.
The family initially kept the body in a freezer in their home in Mumbai’s Malad area, said an official from Kurar police station.
According to the police, the man’s wife and two children, including a lawyer daughter, decided against performing the last rites due to “deep emotional attachment”. When their residential building went under redevelopment, the family moved the body to a local dispensary, which closed down about a month ago, they said.
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