The decomposed body of a 75-year-old man was found at his house in Collegepara, a prominent residential area of Jalpaiguri town, on Friday afternoon.

A police source said that Ajit Karmakar, the deceased, was a retired government employee and had died at least two-three days back.

His wife and daughter had kept the body at home till Friday. Sources said that on Friday afternoon, Anjali, Karmakar’s wife, walked out of the house and informed neighbours and Kotwali police that her husband was no more. Their daughter Anindita had “prevented” Anjali from informing others.

The elderly woman “walked out on the pretext of buying some medicines on Friday afternoon” and told others of her husband’s death, said a source.As the news spread, a police team reached the spot, recovered the body and sent it to North Bengal Medical College & Hospital for a post-mortem.

Collegepara residents said the family did not interact with others. Anil Karmakar, the deceased’s brother who lives nearby, said they were not on speaking terms. Police said they were waiting for the post-mortem report.