Daijiworld Media Network – Karkala (SP)

Karkala, Feb 21: In a strange incident, the family of a senior citizen not only allowed him to die of hunger, but also refused to conduct his funeral. The incident occurred at Belman in the taluk.

Umesh (65) from Belman was found to have died near Belman Market on Sunday February 19. It is widely believed that he died of starvation. Umesh used to work as a mason since long, but had to stop working after an accident left him crippled at the waist. As the family members did not look after him, he used to roam around in the region, begging people for food. In the recent past, he fell ill and could not move about, the locals said.

Even after the family members were informed of Umesh’s death, they were not prepared to conduct his funeral. Rural police station sub-inspector, Azmat Ali, zilla panchayat member, Kedinje Supreeet Shetty, and Belman gram panchayat vice president, Jerald D’Souza, visited the spot and arranged for transporting the body to the mortuary of Belman primary health centre.