Robinson Street nightmare returns to haunt public memory

KOLKATA:

Time

has stopped at 3, Robinson Street, where police had found Partha De, 44, living with the skeleton of his sister and the remains of two pet dogs, three years ago. On Monday, the 120-yearold house in a tony neighbourhood off Theatre Road shot to spotlight once again when a man was found living with his mother’s decomposing body in their Salt Lake house.

Though several kilometres apart, neighbours could spot similarities in both the incidents. A group of men sipping tea at a stall just outside the horror house on Robinson Street cast a curious glance at the long porch on the other side of the locked iron gate.

“Partha-babu was a very nice man. He hardly spoke to anybody but was very courteous. He never raised his voice with anybody. We were shocked when the goings-on inside the house came to light,” said the security guard of a neighbouring building. Partha was found dead in a flat, which he had purchased in Watgunge, in February last year.

An eerie status quo exists inside the house, TOI found on Monday evening. Even though the ownership has changed hands — last year, three companies (SC Sons Pvt Ltd, JVS Exports Pvt Ltd and KIC

Resources Ltd

) had purchased the property — the new owners have not started any work on the property yet.

“The owners do have some plans of developing the place but they are waiting for the right time. The work may start in a couple of years,” said a source close to the owners of the companies.

A musty smell, which is due to lack of air circulation, fills up the nosetrils on opening the big creaking door. The house has been lying shut since June 2015, barring a couple of times when the new owners visited it. There are two guards posted outside, whose duty is to ensure that nobody trespasses or encroaches given the interest in the place. “We always keep the main gate locked and don’t enter the building unless it is absolutely necessary,” said one of the guards.

The shrubs in the backyard of the building built over 20 cottahs have overgrown. There are some glass shards strewn around on the floor and some old mattresses stacked in a corner. “A sweeper comes once every week and cleans the place,” said another guard. A thick film of dust has settled on the handrails of the long wooden staircase that leads to the first floor.

According to records of the

Kolkata Municipal Corporation

, the property belonged to the estate of Gadadhar De, Partha’s grandfather. Partha’s uncle stayed in another half of the building but even they have moved out. The entire property was purchased by the companies that belong to the Kundalias.

Explore the yearly horoscope 2025 for Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces zodiac signs. Spread love this holiday season with these New Year wishes, messages and quotes.