Kundapur : A 32-year-old mentally ill woman, who is believed to have spent five days with her dead mother, died in a hospital in Kundapur of Udupi district on Saturday, May 18.

The Kundapur police said the 32-year-old Pragathi Shetty had been undergoing treatment for her mental illness for the last few years. Ms. Pragathi also had diabetes and her leg had been amputated a few weeks ago. Ms. Pragathi was living with her 62-year-old mother Jayanthi Shetty, who suffered from diabetes and blood pressure, in the house in Gopadi village of Kundapur taluk.

On the night of May 16, neighbours were concerned as a foul smell was emanating from the house and they started calling Ms. Jayanti. When she did not answer, they informed Gopady gram panchayat president Suresh Shetty, who informed the police.

The police forcefully opened the front door of the house to find Ms. Pragathi lying in the living room unable to get up. Police Inspector U.B. Nandakumar offered Ms. Pragathi some water as she was very weak and made arrangements to shift her to nearby hospital, where she succumbed on Saturday morning.

The Police Inspector said that the body of the mother was found in bathroom on Thursday night. It suspected that the mother must have died on Sunday, May 12.

The Kundapur police have registered a case.