Man locks up parents in house: Father, 80, starves to death, mother in hospital
KOTTAYAM: An 80-year-old man died of malnutrition after being locked up in a room by his son and daughter-in-law without food and medicine for days at their house in Mundakkayam in Kottayam. His wife, who was also confined in the same room, was shifted to a hospital after she looked mentally disturbed.
The incident took place at Asambani, an interior area of Mundakkayam panchayat. The deceased was identified as Podiyan, 80, of Thodiyil House. His wife Ammini, 76, has been admitted to the psychiatric ward of the Medical College Hospital, Kottayam.
According to police, Podiyan and Ammini were staying with their younger son Reji and both used to be denied food, water and treatment for several days at a stretch. Though they were rushed to the General Hospital in Kanjirappally, the doctors could not save Podiyan’s life. The police said Reji and wife Jancy lived in the next room but they didn’t pay much attention to his parents.
To prevent neighbours from coming inside, a dog was tied in front of the house when they went for work during daytime. Neighbours said they were unable to visit the elderly couple for fear of Reji who is an alcoholic. The couple’s elder son Raghu lives in Yendayar which is somewhat far from Asambani. Their plight came to light when ASHA and palliative care workers visited the house on Monday.
Cops register case of unnatural death
They informed the incident to Mundakkayam grama panchayat member Sinimol Thadathil, who alerted the Special Branch police. With the help of police, block and local panchayat members rushed them to the General Hospi tal . However, Podiyan died of malnutrition, according to doctors. Ammini and Podiyan were left alone at the house after they stopped working because of old age.
Reji used to lock his parents up in the house despite their poor health. The authorities who inspected the room found food that had been several days old. The police have registered a case of unnatural death and another case against Reji and Jancy for not giving the elderly couple food and treatment. The police said they would take further action after receiving the postmortem report. Podiyan’s body was handed over to relatives and cremated on Wednesday evening.
CRUELTY THY NAME IS...
The incident took place at Asambani, an interior area of Mundakkayam panchayat
The elderly couple’s plight came to light when ASHA and palliative care workers visited the house on Monday
To prevent neighbours from coming inside, a dog was tied in front of the house when son and wife went or
work during daytime