PUTTUR: The house is crumbled with no proper doors and windows, and is ready to
collapse any moment. It lacks all amenities, including a kitchen; nor are its occupants
healthy. Four of the youngsters in this family are mentally deranged and prefer to be in
their birth suits most of the time. They shun clothes even if offered some clothes. The
mother of these has herself lost her mental balance tired of treating her children for the
past 30 years. This is the heart-rending story of a family residing at Kallagudde Kepu
Muli Majal near Kadaba.
Ibrahim Saheb, the head of this family is a labourer and a father of four, including three
daughters and a son. But for his misfortune, all the four were born mentally ill. Ibrahim’s
wife who had to struggle to bring up the four children, is today herself a mentally
deranged woman.
The family members are rarely seen outside. Their little hut itself is their world, where
they move around almost naked most of the times.Ayisha, Kulsumbi, Abdulla and
Jubaida are the four mentally ill persons in this house. Ibrahim goes outside to find
some work every day. Even if he buys a little rice, there is none in the house to cook
food. Eatables which Ibrahim gets from outside, are the only thing available for these to
survive.
As the family members are rarely seen out, none of the neighbours could provide much
information about them. Even the family head Ibrahim who mostly remains out could
not be contacted. This correspondent who visited the house had to face the wrath of
Ibrahim’s wife who chased him away with a knife in hand mistaking him for a bank staff
who had come to recover the loan. She chased the correspondent away saying “Why do
you bank people come to our house, we have not availed any loan from anyone.â€
The poor family is in dire need of medical aid to treat the mentally ill and to rehabilitate
them.
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