NALGONDA: Eighty-year-old Dantoju Laxmamma, till very recently, had nowhere left to go. Her rented room was gone, her health failing, and the daughters she had once raised had turned her away. But what could have ended in silence and neglect instead stirred a quiet storm of empathy on the streets of Haliya.
Laxmamma’s story is not unusual, but it still hurts to hear. After her husband’s death, she gave her one-acre land to her son. His passing came soon after, and her daughter-in-law, herself battling illness, could no longer care for her. When she turned to her daughters, they refused to take her in. Villagers said it was because the land had gone to her son.
For four years, Laxmamma lived in a modest rented room, relying on her old-age pension to pay Rs 1,000 in rent and get by with what little remained. Then, 10 days ago, she fell seriously ill. Her landlord asked her to leave.
Homeless and unwell, she sat under a tree, with only a tarpaulin sheet to shield her. It was neighbours, not blood relatives, who took care of her, arranging a makeshift shelter, bringing food, buying medicines. For 10 days, strangers became her family.
But even that fragile shelter came under threat. On Wednesday, the owner of the plot, who is also her brother, objected to her presence, shouting at her and those helping her. He reportedly tried to tear down the tarpaulin.
Disturbed by the scene, local youth turned to social media, drawing attention to Laxmamma’s plight. Within hours, Nalgonda Collector Ila Tripathi responded, directing the Child Welfare department to step in.
Officials, along with Haliya police and an Anganwadi teacher, reached the spot. With help from community elders in Haliya’s 11th ward, Laxmamma was moved to the Mahalaxmi Mahila Mandali Old Age Home in Devarakonda. The relocation was confirmed by District Women’s Welfare Officer Krishnaveni.
Laxmamma’s days of sitting alone under a tree are over, at least for now. Her story, like that of many abandoned elders, carries pain. But it also speaks of ordinary people who stepped in where family stepped away.