Man hides father’s body in wardrobe at home for two years; police find skeleton

A Japanese man hid his father’s body inside a wardrobe at home for two years to avoid funeral costs. The truth came out after his Chinese restaurant in Tokyo stayed shut for a week, leaving neighbours worried.

When police visited his home, they found his father’s skeleton hidden in the wardrobe. Nobuhiko Suzuki, aged 56, said he had found his father dead at home in January 2023. Then, he decided not to report it because a funeral was too expensive, reported the South China Morning Post.

The police have started an investigation, but how his father died is still not clear. The shocking case has grabbed much attention.

According to authorities, Suzuki first felt guilty but later felt relieved. He blamed his father for his own death. He has been arrested for allegedly taking his father’s pension after hiding the body.

A Japanese survey found that average funeral costs dropped to around 1.3 million yen ( ₹7.73 lakh) after COVID-19, the SCMP reported. Over 60% of people now expect to spend under one million yen (nearly ₹6 lakh).

Skeleton tale in Kolkata

The skeleton tale may remind some of a similar incident that happened in Kolkata, West Bengal, a decade back.

Partha De, a former Infosys employee from Kolkata, made headlines in June 2015 after he was found living with the skeletons of his sister and two dogs in their home.

His sister had chosen a spiritual life and starved herself to death. Shockingly, Partha and his father lived with her body for six months.

In 2015, his father set himself on fire. Reportedly, Partha De later sold the house, bought a flat and then died by suicide in 2017. It is believed most of the ₹40 crore earned from the property remains untouched in his bank accounts.