The De Melo House is a dilapidated bungalow that, according to local folklore, is a haunted house.
We were driving through Goa on our way to Calangute Beach—my friend and I—when I decided to stop by the haunted house.
Legend has it that the house was once owned by the De Melo brothers, who lived in harmony for some time. However, a property dispute arose between them over the inheritance of the De Melo House. This dispute soured their relationship, eventually leading to one brother murdering the other.
Haunted House of Goa
The mansion was built during the Portuguese rule. The two brothers, Peter and Anthony, lived together in love and peace for years. Both were married and lived as a joint family with their children in one of the most sought-after houses in Goa. The mansion was steeped in the old traditions of the Portuguese.
However, trouble began when Sally, Anthony’s wife, rekindled her relationship with her ex-boyfriend, a man named Rosario. She brought her lover into the mansion as a cook, and their affair continued in secret. Eventually, Sally told Anthony that she wanted to leave the house and no longer wished to live in a joint family.
Sally demanded that the property be split and that she be given her share. Anthony agreed, but Peter strongly objected. He believed Sally was a bad influence on Anthony and did not want the family to be divided. This led to frequent arguments between the brothers, and their relationship deteriorated.
One day, in a fit of rage, Peter murdered Anthony and buried his body in the backyard of the house. This tragedy shattered the family. Sally, now a widow, left the house, and Peter was put on trial. However, due to a lack of evidence, he was later acquitted.
After being released from prison, Peter was never the same. He was tormented by guilt and spent most of his days locked in his room, crying and deeply depressed.
One night, Peter was also found dead in the house. No one knows the exact cause of his death, but many believe he committed suicide due to overwhelming guilt and sorrow.
Following the deaths of both brothers, the house became haunted. It fell into ruin—the walls started collapsing, broken glass and decayed wood covered the floor, and the windows were shattered. The house became shabby and abandoned.
There are countless stories from passersby who claim to have heard eerie screams coming from inside the house. Some say the spirits of the two brothers still remain, locked in their endless quarrels even in death.
The De Melo House stands as a haunting symbol of tragedy—a once-loving joint family reduced to ruin, and its ancestral home now cursed by the spirits of two feuding brothers.