Kerala girl who raised Rs 50 lakh for mother's treatment alleges threat from charity worker

The final-year degree student from Kannur alleged that the person who came as a saviour earlier has now become the villain.
Varsha with her mother Radha
Varsha with her mother Radha

KOCHI:  Twenty-two-year-old Varsha who received over `50 lakh in donations from Malayalis around the world after her emotional appeal for financial aid towards her mother’s liver transplant has pleaded for help once again. This time for protection in the light of alleged threat by Sajan Kechery, a popular charity worker from Thrissur, who had supported her fundraising appeal.In a plea through a Facebook video, Kannur native Varsha said Kechery asked her to give him access to the collected amount or transfer the money to bank accounts of people he suggests.

The final-year degree student from Kannur alleged that the person who came as a saviour earlier has now become the villain. “It was the selfless Malayalis who came forward to finance the medical expenses of my mother’s liver transplantation. Even before my mother’s surgery, our doctor had told us about the critical condition of another patient, Gopika, admitted to the hospital. 

“As her parents were planning to shift her to Kottayam Medical College Hospital because they could not meet the expenses here, we supported them and the patient is recuperating now. Using this as an opportunity, Sajan Kechery is threatening us to transfer the money to several people in need,” she said in the video.TNIE could not contact her directly as the phone was switched off. Varsha’s mother, Radha, underwent lifesaving surgery at the Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS) in Kochi  on June 25. Varsha donated a part of her liver for the surgery. 

Kechery had come live on Facebook on Monday alleging that Varsha didn’t accept his request to transfer the money which, he said, was aimed at meeting the medical expenses of other similar patients. “Though we wholeheartedly supported Varsha considering her situation, she is behaving rudely to us. As she already has over `50 lakh, we asked her to support a few in need. But those who went there with the request were manhandled by the people with her,” he alleged.

However, Varsha said after Kechery’s video, she has been receiving calls from unknown people. “My mother’s first checkup after surgery is yet to happen. As I don’t want to appeal again for financial support, I promised them that we hand over the remaining amount after completing the treatment. Since Monday, I can’t even sleep properly as I’m getting calls even at night. He sent two people to our rented house to transfer the amount. As our nurse restricted their entry due to our medical condition, Kechery alleged that we deputed goons here,” said a teary-eyed Varsha. Officials of AIMS were unavailable for comment.

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