Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (RJP)
Mangaluru, May 31: The mother of two little children from Kakkebettu Kalpane poverty-stricken family breathed her last on Saturday, May 30 at Wenlock hospital in city.
Mallika (32) is the deceased person. Her husband Srinivas (38) had died on May 20 at Wenlock hospital where he was taking treatment. Srinivas was paralysed for some months before he died.
Photos taken when the family was rescued by Childline
The family had attracted publicity due to the misery it went through in the recent past. The family of five which lived in a single house in Kakkebettu is scattered now with the husband and wife leaving this earth within a gap of only ten days. The relatives of the poor family have promised that they would look after the mother of Srinivas. She is fragile because of old age.
Children of the deceased parents are being looked after by Prakash, the brother of Mallika.
Daijiworld had published the story of Srinivas and his family on Wednesday May 20 first and then on May 21 soon after Srinivas' death. The family of five Srinivas, wife Mallika, Srinivas’ aged mother, and two boys aged 6 and 4 had a horrific time just before that.
The little children looked after their sick parents and grandmother for three days until they were rescued by Childline on Tuesday, May 19.The little children cared for the elders with whatever was available for three days without any help from outsiders.
History of the case
Srinivas had been paralysed and was on treatment. His wife Mallika who looked after him and their children too fell sick on an unfortunate day and was unable to move around.
After the mother also fell sick, there was none to go to. Relatives too were poor to do help in any manner. The children started looking after their parents. There was nothing to eat, but the elder boy got some food powder from the Anganwady where he attended school. He added water to the powder and fed his parents, grandmother and brother. That was the nourishment for the family for three long days.
Ultimately, help came after some neighbours phoned the women and child welfare department and the Childline. When Childline help arrived, the children were seen feeding the mother with tender coconut. They had themselves plucked the tender coconut from a small coconut tree nearby. The father had fallen from the bed and was trying to reach and get back on it. Grandmother of the children was seen crying endlessly as she was too old to anything.
The parents were then taken to Wenlock hospital and the children were rehabilitated by the department in the initial stage.
Srinivas was working as a labourer for a liquor company in the past. Yet he managed to build a small house of his own. After he was paralysed, his wife Mallika was very much disturbed and depressed due to husband's ill health and financial conditions.
The children were handed over later to their uncle Prakash.
With two deaths taking place within a gap of few days the misery of the family continues.
Note: Faces of children blurred upon request by Childline.