MOTHER’S Day came a couple of weeks early for 80- year- old Mallamma from Mysore. And in her case, she got the greatest gift: freedom.
The widow’s first reaction after being freed by the police from a cowshed — her home for the past two years — was: “ I am seeing the sun properly after so many months!” Her youngest son Javarappa, “ concerned” about his mother’s health, had confined her to the shed, which she shared with a cow and a calf.
According to the police, Mallamma had been living for many years with her husband Mariyappa, son Javarappa and daughter- in- law Nagamma in the locality of Ittigegudu for many years. But after Mariyappa’s death three years ago, Javarappa allegedly started treating her as a liability.
Two years ago, he reportedly asked his mother to move into the shed citing lack of space inside the house, the police said quoting the neighbours.
“ We were informed that the couple did not allow Mallamma to venture out of the house during daytime. Her movements were highly restricted and they even supplied her food inside the shed. She appeared completely dazed when we rescued her,” the Mysore police said.
The police added that the cowshed was filthy and Mallamma slept in a corner with muck all around.
A neighbour, with whom Mallamma had shared her sorry state of affairs when she was allowed out at night, brought the matter to the notice of the police. Javarappa was summoned to the police station for an inquiry after Mallamma was rescued.
“ Javarappa claims that his mother volunteered to stay in the cow shed because she did not want to stay with them. He claimed he was worried about his mother’s health and regularly took her to hospital. We are crosschecking his claims,” the police added.
While the police wanted to file a FIR in the incident, Mallamma requested them to let off her son. Interestingly, of all Mallamma’s seven children, Javarappa had volunteered to take care of her in her old age, the octogenarian told the police.
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