Sualkuchi, Assam: A rare and poignant case highlighting the challenges faced by elderly person has come to light in Sualkuchi, where police stepped in to ensure care for a 65-year-old widow from Sualkuchi after she was allegedly abandoned by her daughters and left without support.
According to police, the woman has three daughters. They are all married and the lady had been living as a tenant in Sualkuchi for several years and earned her livelihood through weaving. They did not take care of their mother. She found herself struggling in old age as her health deteriorated and her financial condition worsened.
The matter came to light when two of the daughters allegedly left their mother on a roadside in Guwahati. Afterwards, she was rescued by police team of Gorchuk Police Station. Then she was handed over to Sualkuchi Police.
Suring the inquiry, the police tried to arrange all the daughters take care of their mother. However, they refused to provide any financial support or accommodation to their elderly mother.
To prevent the woman from being left on the street , the police came up with an unusual arrangement. A lottery was conducted among the three daughters to determine responsibility for her care. Under the police-mediated agreement, each daughter will keep their mother for one week on a rotational basis and ensure her essential needs are met.
The intervention has drawn attention to the growing concerns surrounding the welfare of senior citizens and the responsibilities of family members toward ageing parents. The intervention from the Sualkuchi police has helped to secure support for the woman while ensuring shared responsibility among her daughters.