Episode 87: The Price of Blood — When Siblings Turn Strangers Over Inheritance
Series: Broken by Burden: Financial Survival Strategies for the Troubled Mind
Date: 06-Oct-2025
🎭 A House Divided
Characters:
- Shankar Banerjee (65): The eldest brother, retired railway foreman, who always acted as the family’s pillar.
- Prabir Banerjee (60): The younger brother, a businessman, proud and quick-tempered.
- Malati Banerjee (55): Their widowed sister, who only wants peace but becomes a silent spectator of the feud.
- Rituparna (Shankar’s daughter, 28): A schoolteacher, watching her father’s dignity crumble.
- Legal Advisor Mr. Chatterjee: The lawyer who stokes their bitterness for his own fees.
🌳 The Legacy of Love
The Banerjee family’s old ancestral home in North Kolkata was not just bricks and walls. It was 70 years of memories — weddings, Durga Puja gatherings, and late-night adda under the dim tube light.
After their parents passed, Shankar believed the house would remain a shared emotional space, even though legally it belonged equally to all siblings.
Shankar (to his siblings): “Ma and Baba always wanted this house to remain ours. It’s not just property — it’s our roots.”
Prabir (coldly): “Roots don’t pay bills, dada. We should sell it and divide the money. I need funds for my business expansion.”
Malati stayed quiet, caught between sentiment and necessity.
⚠️ The First Crack
Shankar, who lived in the house with his daughter, refused to sell.
Prabir, desperate for money, approached Mr. Chatterjee, a cunning lawyer.
Mr. Chatterjee: “You can claim your share legally. If they don’t agree, we’ll force partition. I’ll take care of the paperwork — you just pay my fees.”
Soon, legal notices arrived. Shankar was devastated.
🗣 Family War of Words
During one tense family meeting:
Shankar (hurt): “Prabir, this is Ma’s courtyard. You want to sell it to strangers?”
Prabir (angry): “I need money, dada! I can’t live on nostalgia. You think your memories will pay for my son’s college fees?”
Malati (softly): “Please, don’t fight. We can find a way…”
Rituparna (tearfully): “Kaka, this house raised all of us. Isn’t that worth more than money?”
But the voices of love and reason were drowned by legal jargon.
💸 The Financial Cost of Conflict
The siblings spent over ₹6 lakh on lawyers in just 9 months — money that could have repaired the crumbling house roof or supported Malati’s medical treatment.
Mr. Chatterjee quietly encouraged delays:
Mr. Chatterjee: “These cases take time. But don’t worry — the longer we fight, the better we can build our case.”
💔 The Final Blow
Eventually, the court ordered the property to be auctioned since the siblings couldn’t agree. The house was sold for ₹1.2 crore to a real estate developer who planned to demolish it.
On the day the keys were handed over, Shankar stood outside, tears rolling down.
Shankar (to Rituparna): “I couldn’t save the place where you took your first steps. I failed our family.”
Rituparna (holding his hand): “No, Baba. We lost the house, but we lost something bigger — our bond.”
🧠 Character Psychology
- Shankar: A man torn between sentiment and practicality, refusing to let go of family roots.
- Prabir: Not evil, just desperate and blinded by financial pressures.
- Malati: Symbolizes the quiet casualties of family disputes.
- The Lawyer: Exploits emotions for personal gain.
💡 What This Story Teaches Us
- Inheritance can destroy relationships if handled without empathy.
- Legal battles drain both money and dignity.
- Transparent communication and mediation can prevent emotional loss.
- Sometimes, shared memories are worth more than property value.
🌱 Where They Are Now
Shankar rents a small 2BHK apartment now. Prabir used his share to expand his business but doesn’t visit Shankar anymore. Malati, heartbroken, lives with her daughter in Siliguri.
At Durga Puja last year, Rituparna whispered to her father:
“Baba, the house may be gone, but I will never let our family love disappear.”
Episode 88: The Healthcare Trap — When a Family Sells Everything for a Treatment That Fails
In the next episode, a father spends every penny — and more — for his wife’s cancer treatment at a private hospital, only to face debt, grief, and unanswered questions about medical ethics.
⚠️ Disclaimer:
This narrative is fictionalized but based on real inheritance disputes that turn siblings against each other. Always consider mediation and emotional dialogue before resorting to courts.
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