A 62-year-old woman allegedly committed suicide by jumping into the Krishna, after her relatives abandoned her suspecting that she could have contracted COVID-19.
T. Hymavathi’s son died of ill-health a couple of days ago, and relatives and village elders reportedly did not come forward to perform the last rites suspecting that he died of the virus.
The elderly woman’s son and daughter-in-law were running a garments shop in Nagayalanka oin Krishna district. Recently, Hymavathi’s daughter-in-law was shifted to a quarantine home as she tested positive to COVID-19.
When the elderly woman went to her relatives’ house seeking help, she was reportedly not allowed into their house. “Hymavathi went to her brother’s house in Nagayalanka, who denied entry to her. She was seen speaking in a disturbing mood on Sunday, and cried as nobody was performing her son’s funeral. Later, she went missing,” said a local resident.
On knowing about the missing of the woman, Avanigadda CI B.B. Ravi Kumar and Nagayalanka SI Krishna registered a case and traced the body in Krishna river on Sunday evening.
MLA Simhadri Ramesh Babu visited the bodies and expressed concern over the inhuman attitude of the neighbours and relatives. “On Monday, we performed last rites of Hymavathi and her son with the help of Grama Panchayat staff. However, village elders refused to participate in the funeral. The family was completely disturbed due to fear on the dreaded virus,” said Mr. Ravi Kumar.
Avanigadda Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) M. Ramesh Reddy said the couple has a daughter and she was sent to her grandmother’s house.
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Those in distress or having suicidal tendencies could seek help and counselling by calling any of the following numbers:
| Telangana | Roshni - 040-6620 2000 |
| Andhra Pradesh | 1Life - 78930-78930; 100 GGH-Kakinada - 98499-03870. |
| Karnataka | Arogya Sahayavani - 104 |
| Tamil Nadu | Sneha - 044- 24640050 State’s health helpline - 104 |
| Kerala | DISHA - 1056, 0471-2552056 |
| Delhi | Sanjivini, Society for Mental Health - 011-4076 9002, Monday-Saturday, 10 am -7.30 pm |
| Mumbai | BMC Mental Health Helpline: 022-24131212 (24x7) Vandrevala Foundation: 18602662345/18002333330 (24x7) I Call - 022-25521111 (Monday to Saturday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.) ASRA - 022 2754 6669 (24x7) The Samaritans Mumbai: 8422984528/842984529/8422984530 ( 5 p.m. -8 p.m., all days) |
| Bengaluru | Sahai - 080-25497777, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. |
| Kochi | Maitri — 0484-2540530, Chaithram — 0484-2361160 |
| Kolkata | Lifeline Foundation - 033-24637401/32 |
