Kerala woman locked up for weeks by son, found in critical state with maggots in wounds

The son, who is fighting a legal battle against his siblings over his mother’s money, allegedly locked her up and denied her medical treatment for the last few months.

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A 75-year-old woman who was rescued by the police after she was found locked up inside her house by her son in Balaramapuram of Thiruvananthapuram district continues to be in the intensive care unit of a private hospital in the city.

Lalitha, who has liver cirrhosis, was staying with her younger son Vijayakumar. She was allegedly denied proper medical treatment for the last few months.

It was on Thursday that Lalitha’s daughter, L Jaya, and neighbours informed the police that they were not allowed to meet Lalitha as she was locked up inside the house.

“When we went there, the compound gate and the house were locked. A few neighbours and the lady’s daughter were outside. Neighbours informed us that they used to hear the woman’s cries sometimes. Her son was not ready to open the door so we had to forcibly open it,” Balaramapuram Circle Inspector Binukumar told TNM.

He added that the woman was lying in a locked room without proper clothing and there were maggots in her wounds.

“She was in such a critical condition that we immediately shifted her to a hospital,” he said.

The officer said that there was a dispute in the family over some money in Lalitha’s bank account.

Vijayakumar

Lalitha’s grandson Satheesh told TNM that her condition was still serious. “My grandmother has Rs 15 lakh in her account, which was transferred to her after my grandfather’s death. Her two daughters and two sons have equal right over it, but Vijayakumar wanted to take all the money. There is a case going on in the court over this. It was after this clash that he did not allow any of the relatives to visit my grandmother,” he said.

He also said that Vijayakumar stopped Lalitha’s medical treatment and started torturing her. “He used to send us videos of her in which he forces her to walk and shouts at her,” Satheesh said.

In one such video, Lalitha is seen being forced to walk and is seen sitting on the floor frequently out of tiredness. Vijayakumar is heard scolding her for not bathing and getting dressed on her own. He is also heard telling his wife to close the kitchen door as Lalitha might go inside and eat something.

Satheesh said that Lalitha loses her memory at times. “For the last few months nobody was allowed to visit her. Later we complained to the police and after a negotiation meeting, Vijayakumar allowed us to meet her on Sundays. But for the last many weeks none of us were allowed inside the house,” he said.

Vijayakumar was arrested by Balaramapuram police and later let out on bail.