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Girl rejects mom, opts for step-mother

Mother abandoned her when she was a year old
Nellore: A 15-year-old girl refused to live with her biological mother who had abandoned her when she was just one year old. The girl had been brought up by her father, an RTC employee and his second wife, at Vasili village in Atmakur mandal of SPSR Nellore district.
His first wife, Santhi (name changed) came on Tuesday to take back her daughter after she came to know that some money might come the girl's way.
According to information, the girl's father, Mr Ravi, married again after Ms Santhi deserted him and he had another daughter from that marriage.
His second wife, Ms Sudha, brought up both children lovingly and the girl grew up believing that her step mother was her own mother. Recently Mr Ravi and Ms Sudha fell ill and as a precautionary measure, he made his two daughters nominees for receiving his retirement benefits from the RTC.
When she came to know about it Santhi reached Vasili on Tuesday and demanded custody of her daughter, arguing with Mr Ravi that she should be the guardian of her daughter as she was a minor.
Apart from the family, villagers also supported the girl and reprimanded Santhi for claiming rights as a mother after ignoring the child for 14 years. Sensing that her plans were falling apart Santhi approached the Atmakur police alleging that her husband’s family was trying to get the minor girl married off against her will.
However, the police saw through her game after the girl and villagers explained the issue. In a bid to settle the matter sub inspector Venugopal Reddy convinced the girl to talk to the woman in private pointing to the rights of the mother.
After the discussion, the girl stubbornly said that since Mr Ravi’s second wife had brought her up she would remain with her, although Santhi tried her best to convince her that she was her real mother.
Santhi’s brother and a cousin, meanwhile, came forward to act as guardians for the girl, till she completed Intermediate and became a major. The girl had appeared for Class X exams recently. The girl agreed to the arrangement which will come into effect only if anything happens to her father Mr Ravi and her step mother Ms Sudha. Meanwhile, local people appreciated sub inspector Venugopal Reddy for tactfully handling the issue.
( Source : dc correspondent )
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