Ajith, 35, of Eroor near Thripunithura here was arrested on Wednesday on charge of abandoning his 72-year-old bedridden father.
He was held under provisions of sections 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide) and 24 of the Maintenance and Welfare of Senior Citizens Act, 2007. The incident came to light on May 11 when the owner of the house that he had taken on rent found that he had vacated the place while leaving his father Shanmughan alone.
Health workers from Government Taluk Hospital in Thripunitura, who reached Shanmughan’s house to shift the senior citizen, found him in a weak condition as he had not eaten anything for over 24 hours. The houseowner had been asking Ajith to vacate the house after rental arrears had started piling up.
Though the first information report was filed by including section 24 of the Maintenance and Welfare of Senior Citizens Act, 2007, the police later included Section 308 of the IPC after receiving legal opinion. The elderly patient, who was initially shifted to the taluk hospital, was later taken by his brother Vijayan to his residence in Idukki.
