Bhadrak: Gone are the days when children used to give up everything just to take care of parents in their old age. Elderly parents are now considered as a ‘burden’ for which majority of people either banish them to old age home or in this case, just abandon them on the streets.
The story of Kuntala Pothala, a decrepit old woman is a blot on the family values, which we are often proud of. This elderly woman was deserted by her son and daughter-in-law at one Aahar Kendra (a centre where subsidised lunch is provide at Rs 5) in Chandbali of Bhadrak district.
A group of people including some staff of the Aahar Kendra and some locals first spotted the hapless woman sobbing. Mumtaz Ali, a local shopkeeper said that the woman was abandoned by her son and daughter-in-law at around 10 AM on Monday.
Apart from her name, she could hardly provide any other identification. However, one can easily imagine the pain the woman as she narrated the ordeal and the torture inflicted by her son and daughter-in-law.
“My son and daughter-in-law used to torture me. They brought me and asked to stay here and left immediately,” said Kuntala.
After the plight of the woman was brought to the notice of OTV team and local Tehsildar, steps were taken to admit the woman to a hospital.