February 1, 2017, was no less than a nightmare for septuagenarian Enugula Ilaiah and his wife, Lachamma.
Old and frail, the couple staying in Thotapally village in Bejjanki mandal was beaten up by their son, E. Komaraiah, and daughter-in-law, Radha, who barged into their house and threatened to kill them.
The backstory? Komaraiah and Radha stay in a house that Ilaiah owns, but they do not look after the elderly couple or pay them any maintenance.
Vexed over this, Ilaiah has been asking them to vacate the house, much to their displeasure.
Property division
Over two months since that incident, Muchanthala Venkata Reddy, who is also in his 70s and resides in Laxmipur village of the same mandal, was attacked by his elder son, Raji, and daughter-in-law Satthavva.
The trigger for the incident was Venkata’s decision to divide his property between his two sons, Raji and Srinivas.
Both incidents, although not stray ones, reached the Bejjanki police and cases were registered under Section 24 of Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act 2007.
In addition to that, cases were registered under Section 448, 504, 323 of IPC and 506 read with 34 IPC (for Ilaiah) and Section 341 of IPC 506 read with 34 IPC (for Venkata).
Counselling session
“In both instances, the parents had been neglected by their own children. We tried to counsel both the parties but in vain. In the case of Ilaiah, he insists that his son vacate his house. An inquiry by the executive magistrate is underway,” Pulla Abhilash, Sub-Inspector of Police, Bejjanki, told The Hindu .
As far as Venkata is concerned, his daughter-in-law has proposed a compromise — paying maintenance and forgetting all about the case — but the septuagenarian is yet to take a call on it, said police.
Acting tough
Siddipet Police Commissioner P. Siva Kumar said, “We have decided to act tough and register criminal cases against those who neglect their parents. The victims were forced to approach us and in some instances, the children alleged that they were not given a share in their parents’ property which was insulting. However, there have been no complaints after the cases were registered.”
