* Periyapatna woman had written to President seeking mercy killing

* Alleges that Police have failed to trace her missing husband

Periyapatna: A team led by Periyapatna Tahsildar Kunhi Mohammad visited the house of a woman who had written to the President of India seeking permission for mercy killing as she was unable to support her family in the absence of her husband who went missing since the last six months.

Thirty-five-year-old Sunitha, from Ravandur near Periyapatna, wife of Sukhlal alias Suresh, had written to the President accusing the Police and authorities of failing to trace her missing husband. Sukhlal has gone missing for months following a financial feud with a retired teacher of the same village.

Sunitha had lodged a complaint with Periyapatna Police on July 9, 2018, stating that her husband Suresh has gone missing after leaving their children to school. Sunitha in her complaint has accused the retired teacher and his associates of cheating her husband to the tune of lakhs of rupees. In her complaint, she also suspected that her husband might have been murdered by the cronies of the retired teacher.

In her letter, Sunitha said that as the Police have failed to trace her missing husband, she was left with no means of livelihood to sustain herself and her four children.

Following the family’s plight highlighted in media, Periyapatna Tahsildar and his team visited the family last evening and said that the government was ready to support the family in its time of crisis. Narrating her story to Tahsildar Kunhi Mohammad, Sunitha said that a retired teacher from Boganahalli had conned her husband Suresh and had fraudulently purchased his properties and not paid the money so far.

She alleged that the Police had bowed before money and political power and was not acting on any complaints filed by her nor have they traced her husband. The Tahsildar told Sunitha, everyone had a right to live in a dignified way as enshrined in the Constitution and no one can violate the rights of other people.

He assured her that the District Administration was with the family and if she felt that the Police were intentionally delaying the probe and favouring the accused after taking bribe, the issue can be brought to the notice of the government by petitioning the higher authorities.

Sunitha was told by the Tahsildar that if anyone harasses the family then legal action will be taken and there were many government schemes that can be made use of to provide education to her children, he said. Even food grains and the health required facilities can be taken care of by the administration, the Tahsildar told Sunitha.

During the meeting, social worker Yajaman P.K. Nagappa alleged that the Police were not investigating the case properly. Jain community leader Nemichand Jain assured that the community would stand as a support to the family. Deputy Tahsildar Sannaramappa, Revenue Inspector Mahesh, Anganwadi teacher Rajamani and others were present.