NALGONDA: Invoking the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, the district administration on Tuesday restored an elderly couple to their Miryalaguda residence, ending 11 months of homelessness after their son allegedly evicted them.
Officials said administration has been assisting abandoned senior citizens under the Act.
Singam Anjaiah, 65, a retired police constable, and his wife Yadamma lived in Chaitanyanagar, Miryalaguda. After one son died, they took responsibility for the education and marriages of their other children.
The couple owned eight acres in Pedda Devulapally village of Tripuraram mandal, retaining 1.5 acres and distributing the rest among their children. They also transferred their house in Chaitanyanagar, where they had lived for 12 years, to their son Ramesh, trusting him to care for them.
However, Ramesh allegedly evicted them around 11 months ago, locked the house and moved to Hyderabad with his family. The couple, who had age-related ailments, were left without shelter.
They approached the Miryalaguda Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) in May. During counselling in July, Ramesh initially agreed to accommodate them but allegedly reneged within a week, abused and assaulted them and evicted them again. An FIR was subsequently registered against him at Miryalaguda One Town police station.
“I never expected such a betrayal. The property would naturally go to our son after our death, but all we wanted was to live peacefully in our own home during our remaining years,” Anjaiah told TNIE.
In August, the couple approached the RDO Tribunal under the Senior Citizens Act, seeking the right to reside in their house for life. They also petitioned collector B Chandrashekhar during a special Prajavani grievance session for senior citizens.
The collector directed the RDO to expedite the inquiry. RDO K Ramana Reddy passed orders in their favour on September 20. The order was implemented on Tuesday, with police and officials from various departments escorting the couple back home.
