85-year-old man left to fend for self, wanders streets for 20 years

KOLLAM: An 85-year-old father, after over 20 years of wandering, has now ended up in an old age home as his four well-off children including a high school teacher has publicly informed the court that they cannot look after him as they are “busy” with life. Chellappan Achary is now an inhabitant of Gandhibhavan in Pathanapuram here.

Chellappan Achary of Padinjare puthuvalil at Karthikappally in Harippad left his home about 20 years back after being abandoned by his children.

He was later given shelter by good-hearted Sreenivasa Thankachan of Arattupuzha. Chellappan Achary recently approached a legal service committee adalat held at Harippad through an advocate Adv. A. Sivan.

The children who are in good positions in society publicly announced their unwillingness to look after their parent, before the Harippad Judicial Magistrate Donny Thomas Varghese.

Adv. K. Rasheed, the general convenor of ‘Samabhavana’ a charitable organisation who was also present at the adalat assured his protection and the magistrate ordered him to take the man to an old age home.

“The children who are highly placed were not ready to take the man home and instead, they offered money for his care in old age homes. The old man was also not willing to go along with them. It was because of the mercy of Mr Thankachan that he survived for the last several years. We contacted Gandh-ibhavan to take him there,” Adv. K. Rasheed told DC.

The elder son of Chellappan Achary is a high school assistant and his wife is also an employee. Chellappan Achary admitted his younger son to the Ravi-varma Institute in Mavelikkara as he was good in arts. His two daughters are married to NRIs.

The adalat being only a pre-litigation instrument, cannot punish children for not taking care of their parents. As per the old age protection act, the abandoned parent can give a complaint to the respective RDO’s claiming maintenance from their children.