Courtesy "The Hindu" of date
Son arrested for neglecting octogenarian father
Special Correspondent
CHENNAI: Police have arrested and remanded to judicial custody a man who had
been accused of neglecting his parents, under the provisions of the Maintenance
and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007.
The arrest occurred after an octogenarian lodged a complaint with the
Ayanavaram police that his eldest son left him in the lurch by not even
contributing for his food, clothes and medicines. Hours later the accused M.
Kumar (55) of Ayanavaram, was arrested and remanded to judicial custody.
According to police sources, J. Muthukrishnan (83) of De Mellows Road alleged
that his eldest son Kumar was not taking care of him. While the old man was
living with his two other sons, the accused had refused to contribute any money
for basic maintenance. Police arrested Kumar, produced him in a city court and
later, lodged him in the Puzhal Central Prison.
The first such instance of a ward being arrested for neglect of a senior
citizen under the Act occurred in Namakkal, according to Social Welfare
Department officials. The District Collector has also been proactive in taking
other steps to ensure the welfare of senior citizens, they added. The Act
provides for punishing anyone who is tasked with caring for a senior citizen
abandons the latter with imprisonment up to three months, or a fine up to
Rs.5000, or both.
M. Singaraja, vice chairman, Senior Citizens' Bureau, says, “It is, undoubtedly
a good thing. It will send out a warning to other children who neglect their
aged parents and there will be a fear among them now. Senior citizens go
through untold harassment at the hands of their children and until the Act
came, they had no access to redress at all.”
Meanwhile, Chennai Commissioner of Police T. Rajendran has warned that criminal
action would be taken against any person harassing aged parents by not
providing them basic facilities like food and shelter
