Mom seeks nod to euthanise

Chennai: Unable to bear the abuse her 17-year-old mentally deranged son is subjected to by the residents of the area, a 40-year-old woman approached the Kannagi nagar police station on Monday requesting them to grant her permission to euthanise him.

The boy, Rohith, lives with his mother Bhakki­yal­akshmi and nine-year-old sister Jayanthi at 13th street in Kannagi nagar, police sources said.

When this reporter rea­ched their humble abode in Kannagi nagar, off Thoraipakkam, Rohith had been just brought back home after he ran towards the Sivan temple lake in the area, screaming that he was going to kill himself, said Uma, his aunt.

Bhakkiyalakshmi, a single mother, breaks down as she gives details about the difficulties she had to face in raising her son. “It has been one year since my husband left me, because he couldn’t stand people arriving at our doorsteps and abusing our child in front of our eyes,” Bhakk­iyal­akshmi said.

According to the mother, it is not that the boy means no harm. He actually attr­acts abuse by hitting people, biting them and abusing children in the area. When he does this to the boys and elderly, they beat him up.

It is after one such incident on Monday that Bhakkiyalakshmi app­ro­ached the local police station out of mere frustration that she couldn’t help watch her son being abused physically and verbally in front of her eyes.

The police personnel at Kannagi nagar had to calm her down and make her understand that they are not authorized to act on these issues.

The boy had been admitted to government homes, private NGO hostels and even the Kilpauk medical college, but he could not be treated and was eventually sent back home, says his mother.
She has lost all hope now, as the boy is nearing18 years of age and cannot be admitted to homes.

Though her six sisters have been supporting her financially, she says emotionally that she cannot keep depending on them for long. I cannot even take care of my daughter and myself now, she says pitiably.

According to police sources, the CM’s cell has been notified about the incident and an enquiry is on. Neighbours of the family feel that some intervention from the authorities would bring a respite to the family.