Madikeri, Aug 20 (IANS): The fervent appeals of a little girl, Hrithiksha, to find her late mother's mobile phone have been answered. The Kodagu district police in Karnataka found the phone and returned it to the girl.
Hrithiksha's mother died in March due to Covid-19. Though hospital authorities had returned the luggage, the mobile phone was never returned.
Madikeri Superintendent of Police Kshama Mishra returned the phone to Hrithiksha at her office along with a chocolate bar on Thursday.
The family had recognized the mobile and it was confirmed through IMEI number. All the data and pictures in the inbuilt storage was intact. "We are happy that the mobile phone could be traced and returned. The girl has her mother's memories in the cell phone," explained SP Kshama Mishra.
Hrithiksha, who got back the mobile phone, said that she always believed that she would get back the stolen phone. "My father did not believe me all these days. Pictures of my mother, data related to my online classes are intact," she said.
The police said that hospital staff found Hrithiksha's mobile near the store room and returned it to the dean.
Hritiksha had written a heart wrenching letter to the Kodagu Deputy Commissioner Charulatha Somal, former minister and BJP MLA's K.G.Bopaiah and Appachu Ranjan and also to the staff of Kodagu Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) to help her get back her mother's mobile phone which has been stolen in the hospital.
Holding a letter in her hand Hrithiksha, the daughter of a painter in Kushalnagar, had appealed three months ago to return the phone saying that some of the best pictures of her mother are stored in it. "I have to lead my life without my mother," she had mentioned.
Hrithiksha's family of three, father T.R. Naveen Kumar, mother Prabha and herself tested positive for Covid on May 6. Prabha was shifted to hospital as condition turned serious. She died on May 16 in the KIMS hospital. Though her belongings were returned, the family did not get Prabha's mobile phone from the hospital authorities.
"I am in isolation with my father. We depend on neighbours for food and other requirements. After the death of my mother, her mobile phone has not been returned to us. I am an orphan now. That mobile phone has the best photos of my mother and our memories are stored," she appealed in her letter.
The letter went viral on social media. The National Human Rights Commission has issued a notice to the district police in this connection. Madikeri City police have taken a suo motu case.
The little girl's appeals have gone viral and melted many hearts across the country. The people also slammed the attitude of stealing away things belonging to patients as inhuman and vented out their ire on hospital staff.