Udupi: 72-yo abandoned by family fights for justice for over 2 yrs

 

Udupi: A 72-year-old has been running from pillar to post for over two years seeking monthly monetary support from his sons for his survival.

The victim Srinivas Tunga of Udupi’s Sastan has two sons and a daughter. Though all of them are financially well-placed with decent jobs they have abandoned their father and are not even giving him any monetary support.

Addressing a press meet on Monday, March 7, Dr Ravindranath Shanbhag, chairman of Human Rights Protection Foundation spoke about the plight of the old man who had called the senior citizens’ helpline at Udupi in 2019 but even their efforts to reunite him with his family did not yield results.

Later he applied to the assistant commissioner Kundapur, who happens to be the chairman of the senior citizens’ tribunal. However, his family never turned up for the tribunal hearing.

Pointing out that a case has to be disposed within three months of filing a petition as per provisions of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 section 5 (4), Shanbhag lamented that the judicial system has not even been able to ensure the victim’s family presence for the hearing.

A public interest litigation case will be filed by the foundation, he added.