Palghar Tragedy: Man Finds Maggot-Infested Bodies Of Parents And Sister; Investigation Underway

In a village in Wada taluka, Palghar district, a chilling discovery was made on Saturday. According to Midday, the bodies of an elderly couple and their specially-abled daughter were found in a horrifying state, infested with maggots. The decomposed remains were discovered by the couple's son, Pankaj Rathod, who had grown concerned after being unable to reach his parents for two weeks.

Rathod, a resident of Vasai, had last spoken to his father on August 17. When his calls went unanswered, he decided to visit their home in Neharoli village. When he arrived, he found an eerie silence and the door locked from the outside. Unable to find his parents anywhere in the village, Rathod forced the door open. Inside, he was horrified to see his 72-year-old father, Mukund Rathod, lying dead on the floor, with maggots crawling over his body. There was no trace of his mother, Kanchan, 70, or his sister, Sangita, 52.

Photo Credit: Unspalsh

Panicked, Rathod searched the neighbourhood with the help of local residents. It wasn't until he returned to the house and went upstairs that he discovered the awful truth. A strong, unpleasant smell led him to a trunk. When he opened it, he found the maggot-infested bodies of his mother and sister. The sight was terrifying, with bugs dropping to the floor as the trunk was opened. The discovery has sent shockwaves through the village. The police were promptly alerted, and a forensic team was brought in to gather evidence.

Superintendent of Palghar Police, Balasaheb Patil, confirmed in Midday that all three bodies bore injury marks on their heads, indicating a likely murder. The post-mortem report from JJ Hospital is awaited for further details, but preliminary investigations suggest that the bodies had been decomposing for more than 15 days.

An FIR has been registered under sections 103 (1) (murder) and 238 (destruction of evidence) of the BNS. The Palghar police have formed multiple teams to solve this disturbing case, while the Local Crime Branch conducts a parallel investigation. The once-peaceful village now awaits answers to this tragic and unsettling mystery.