After getting property, son locked up his mom

Hyderabad: The cases of harassment of senior citizens by their family makes for chilling reading.

The first story is of Danovy Gomes, who owned a three-floor apartment and 40 square yards of land in Bowenpally. She gifted them to her grandchildren and handed over the deed to her elder son David. That is when the harassment began.

David would scream and shout when small objects were misplaced. The grandchildren were not allowed to meet Ms Gomes, who was locked up and not allowed to go out. If she was unwell, no one would take care of her. She was not allowed to meet anyone.

She called her brother for help after which her son took away her mobilephone. After three months, she sought help from a neighbour. This was followed by a bitter fight with the son over the property. She approached the police helpline for senior citizens in August 2015.

A case was registered against her son, a highly qualified professional. A copy of the complaint was sent by the regional district officer in Secunderabad and the gift deed was cancelled.

Advocate P. Shyam Kumar, who pursued the case, said, “Now she gets rent from her properties and a monthly maintenance.”

The experience of fighting publicly against her son was very agonising but Ms Gomes went ahead with it. She now stays with her nephew.

On January 14, Ms Rafat Bi, 74, of Moula Ali called up the police helpline for senior citizens as her second daughter-in-law, with whom she is living, was demanding gold from her. Her husband, who died in November, had distributed their assets, leaving a small portion for Ms Rafat Bi. The daughter-in-law was demanding this share.

Ms Rafat Bi said she was not being given proper food due to which she became weak. Being a heart patient, her medicines were not brought on time. She said she was scared to tell her sons for fear that her daughter-in-law would throw her out.

A senior officer said the police would counsel her son and follow up on Ms Rafat Bi’s welfare. If there is no change in her family’s behaviour, the police would implement the Maintenance of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007

Abuse can happen in rooms without cameras
Hyderabad: Some families are installing CCTV cameras at home to check on domestic helps, caregivers as as well monitor children and the aged.

New technology that connects the cameras to smartphones is a big help.
Mr Firoze Khan, a businessman in the city, explained, “I installed a CCTV camera to monitor my children but was witness to the tensions between my wife and my mother. “It was very disturbing but I took steps to mend issues.”

But one camera is the house may not be the solution. A senior citizen on condition of anonymity said, “My daughter-in-law would behave very well in the living room but the minute she entered the storeroom her abuses would start. There were no cameras there and it was difficult to prove anything.”

Also some women are against installing cameras at home for fear of loss of privacy.

Mr Phani Srinivas, who runs a security agency that provides home cameras, said, “People opt to install the camera in the room where all family members spend the most time. Only those who travel frequently have the whole house covered.”