TIRUPATI: Police rushed an 80-year-old found unconscious near Kari Mariyamma Temple to a hospital on Friday night, even as the town was pounded by rain. Kanthamma, who was abandoned by her family 25 years back, has been eking out a living by begging.
Much to their shock, the cops who were taking her to the hospital found Rs 1.40 lakh on her person, of which Rs 70,000 was demonetised currency. The destitute woman had stocked up the notes unaware that demonetisation had rendered them worthless. Circle inspector G Srinivasulu said the notes had been deposited at the government treasury and her condition is stable.
The octogenarian is a native of Kuntrapakam and moved to Chittoor district after her wedding. Thirty years ago, she returned to her home in Tirupati, where she stayed for five years before being abandoned. Since then, she has been begging at the temple. Whatever she earned, she would convert to notes of bigger denominations.
Those acquainted with her said she hadn’t been able to convert small change to big notes for the past few years and so they had remained with her. A few years ago, she purchased some gold, a source said.
Kanthamma’s brother Manikya Chari, who lives in Tirupati, claimed she had refused to stay with him, preferring instead to live on her own.
“We respected her wish and did not force her to give up begging,” he told TNIE. Her niece said Kanthamma had bad blood with all other relatives and feared they would rob her of her savings. The old woman’s daughter died some time ago and the whereabouts of her granddaughter are not known. Her husband too is reportedly expired.
CI Srinivasulu said that a few other old beggars had been spotted near the temple and they would be moved to suitable old age homes. “We will shift them once we find suitable shelters for them,” he said.