DHARMAPURI: A 90-year-old woman was abandoned by her children on the roadside near Palacode on Sunday.
“Last month, Pappathiammal was abandoned by her son on a Saturday. On Sunday morning, residents were baffled when they saw the elderly woman on the roadside, and offered her food. When asked why she was on the roadside, she broke down and told the villagers that she had been abandoned by her children.
While locals took care of her for a month, they also tried to convince her children to take her back. However, as they refused, the villagers staged a protest. The Marandahalli police reached the spot, pacified the protestors and assured action,” said police sources.
“Pappathiammal’s husband died 40 years ago. The couple had two male children — Murugesan and Govindan, and a daughter, Valliammal. For the past five years, she had been living with her son Govindan. But a month ago, he had abandoned her."
Govindan had allegedly dropped her in a secluded area in the village on a bed along with a bag of her clothes. While the local residents have been caring for her, they are facing difficulties because of her age.
"Pappathiammal does not want a case to be registered against her children, and we are counseling her family. Currently, she is under the care of former panchayat president Murugan. If the children refuse to take her in, a case will be registered against them and she will be placed in a home,” police said