Daijiworld Media Network - Puttur (SP)

Puttur, Dec 23: Padavati Alva from Bolody in Kedambadi village in the taluk had sought permission for herself and her family to commit suicide en masse by way of euthanasia by approaching the gram panchayat, duly alleging that herself and her family members had been driven out of their own home by the brother of her husband. The gram panchayat members too had supported her in this cause.

The tahildar of the taluk led a team of officials to Bolody the very next day, and paved for the family to shift its base back to its house.

Two brothers, Sundar Alva and Padmanabha Alva, residents of Bolody, are involved in a land dispute since long. The case is pending in court. Padmanabha Alva and his family used to live in the disputed house. On December 19, Sundar Alva filed complaint in the rural police station here, alleging that areca nut stock belonging to him had been stolen from this house. The police, who registered the case, had summoned Padmavati, Padmanabha and their daughter to the station for questioning. When they were away at the police station, Sundar Alva and his family occupied the house.  When the family came back from the police station, the house was found to have been locked by Sundar Alva, who said that the house belonged to him and drove the family away. Even after Padmavati approached the police and the police personnel came there and asked Sundar Alva to allow Padmavati to stay there, Sundar had remained adamant.

Tahsildar, Ananta Shankara, who visited the said house with his team, wanted to talk to the family of Sundar Alva but the family refused. He then asked the officials to break open the door. At this, Sundar's wife, Shalini, who was inside, threatened to commit suicide. The tahsildar then retracted and went  to the rear door to break it open. But the rear door was found to be not bolted from inside. Therefore, he went in after which Padmavati and her family too entered the house.

The tahsildar and officials, in prolonged counselling with the family members, advised the family never to take any extreme step, and asked both the families of both brothers to live in harmony being the children of the same mother. They told the families not to allow minor differences to ruin their lives, and not to take law into their hands.