45-year-old man, mother found charred in Nagerbazar flat

Kolkata: The charred bodies of a 45-year-old man and his elderly mother were recovered from a flat at Satgachhi in Nagerbazar, Dum Dum, on Friday evening.Abhishek Sikdar and his mother, Chhabi Sikdar (75), in a five-storey building on N N Road. Abhishek's father, Anindya Kanti Sikdar, who used to be the regional manager of a nationalised bank, died around four years ago.
Residents of the area spotted smoke billowing out of the building shortly after 5.30 pm and called the fire brigade. Two fire engines arrived. "When firefighters entered, they found the staircase strewn with debris and discarded materials set ablaze," said Kaberi Biswas, a neighbour.Police said once the flames were brought under control, the door of the Sikdars' third-floor flat, which was locked from inside, was broken open. "The mother and the son were found in a severely burnt condition and taken to R G Kar Medical College, where doctors declared them dead," a senior Barrackpore Police Commissionerate officer said. A preliminary investigation by the police indicated that the mother-son duo, suspected to suffer mental health conditions, accidentally started the fire while trying to burn waste in front of their flat.Police said the preliminary investigation suggested that the smoke and heat from the debris, set ablaze on the stairs, had spread to the flat. "We suspect the mother and the son had lit the fire themselves, trying to burn the debris, and gone inside the flat, believing the flames would not reach inside. But heavy smoke and intense heat engulfed their flat, leading to their deaths," a senior officer of the Nagerbazar PS told TOI.After graduating from St Xavier's College, Kolkata, Abhishek did post-graduation in economics at Delhi School of Economics. He authored US-based reports and books on economics. Despite his academic excellence, neighbours claimed, he had recently started showing signs of mental health issues as did his mother. They claimed Abhishek would sometimes throw stones, collect waste in the staircase and attempted to set fire to it. Police were reportedly aware of the situation."In 2022, when Abhishek's father died, the family did not tell anyone. The body was recovered nearly 10 to 12 days later after neighbours noticed a foul smell and broke open the door," a neighbour said. Over time, the mental condition of both the mother and the son reportedly worsened. They collected plastic, paper and other waste materials and piled them in the staircase. Such behaviour allegedly forced three other families in the building to move out.Bitan Bajpayee, who lives in the area, said when smoke billowed out of the staircase window, people rushed there. "The gate was locked. We called the fire brigade and broke the lock with a hammer but the fire and intense heat on the staircase prevented us from going upstairs," he said.Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Women's day wishes, messages and quotes !