Mysuru: An elderly woman, whose name was known, but sadly counted in the ‘Missing Person’ list is the story of most of the aged in the country today. Padmavathi (75) passed away in city on June 14. However, she did not die a lonely, neglected person. Thanks to the humanitarian work being carried out by M.S. Sushma, Founder-Director of Jana Seva Trust that has established Chiguru for the mentally challenged women and destitute women and children.

The saga of Padmavathi began last year, when she was brought to a hospital in Kuvempunagar, by her callous relatives in May 2016. They escaped leaving her in the lurch. After a few days of treatment in the hospital, the authorities there got in touch with Sushma, who shifted the old woman to her Centre.

“Padmavathi was doing quite well. She had been with us from November last year. Meanwhile, I got a call from the Bank Manager in Tumakuru enquiring whether a person by name Padmavathi was with us. I said yes. The Manager then told me that her pension was being drawn every month by people claiming to be her relatives,” said Sushma, speaking to Star of Mysore.

The Jana Seva Trust is located in Koorgalli close to Excel

Callous relatives grab pension, fail to turn up at woman’s funeral

PadmavathiPublic School. The relatives were drawing money as they had blank signed cheques of the woman. Padmavathi, a graduate, used to teach in a private school in Tumakuru. Her husband was a freedom fighter. After he passed away, she used to get his pension.

Sushma then took Padmavathi to Tumakuru to sign the ‘living certificate,’ and from then on she got pension every month.

On June 14, she had a wheezing bout and when Sushma tried to shift Padmavathi to the hospital, she breathed her last. The body was kept in K.R. Hospital mortuary, waiting for her relatives to turn up. Meanwhile, Sushma lodged a complaint with Vijayanagar Police Station. They in turn released a press note of missing person’s death.

Finally, when no relative turned up, Padmavathi’s body was cremated at the burial ground on Jodi Tenginamara Road. Human Rights activist Jana Sangram State Secretary Prasanna and Vijayanagar Police personnel were present.

The work done by M.S. Sushma and her team is laudable.