Two starvation deaths reported in the district have shaken the conscience of the civil society.
When Arumugam, a labourer from Anna Nagar in Alangulam, did not get regular employment, his wife, who was unable to run the family, left her husband and children Antony (27), a physically challenged youth, and Marial (25) a year ago to settle down in an undisclosed destination. Arumugam, with the little earnings he could make on being occasionally hired, continued to feed Antony and Marial at least once a day.
Problem started for the family when Arumugam fell ill and died a month ago. Members of a church performed the last rites of Arumugam and gave some money, rice and vegetables to Antony and Marial, which were enough to feed the duo for a few days. After the provisions were exhausted, starvation came to haunt the disabled Antony and his sister, for whom drinking water was the only ‘food’ for several days. When extreme hunger took a toll in Antony’s health, Marial, with the help of neighbours, admitted him to Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital 10 days ago.
“As free food is provided to inpatients at the TVMCH, Antony and his sister used to share the food,” says a nurse.
When Antony failed to respond to treatment and breathed his last a week ago, Marial’s last hope was shattered. After the body was shifted to the mortuary, Marial confined herself to the visitors’ shed at the TVMCH, where she was lying without food for a week. Though starvation was not something new to the girl, extreme hunger killed her on Sunday night as she refused to drink even water. “A few doctors of the TVMCH agreed to perform the last rites of Antony and we’ve decided to do the same to Marial,” said a policeman attached to the TVMCH police station.
