Elderly widow abandoned by daughters, Assam Police devises rotational care arrangement

In a rare case highlighting the challenges faced by elderly citizens, Assam Police intervened to ensure care for a 65-year-old widow from Sualkuchi after she was allegedly abandoned by her daughters and left without support.

According to reports, the woman, a mother of three daughters, had been living as a tenant in Sualkuchi for several years and earned her livelihood through weaving. Despite spending years supporting and raising her family, she found herself struggling in old age as her health deteriorated and her financial condition worsened.

Police said all three of her daughters are married and residing with their respective families. However, none reportedly came forward to take responsibility for their mother's care despite her advancing age and declining health.

The situation came to light after two of the daughters allegedly left the elderly woman on a roadside in Guwahati and departed. She was subsequently rescued by personnel of Gorchuk Police Station and later handed over to Sualkuchi Police for further assistance.

During the course of the inquiry, Sualkuchi Police traced all three daughters and attempted to persuade them to take responsibility for their mother. However, the daughters reportedly declined to provide care or accommodation for her.

Faced with the possibility of the woman being left without support, the police facilitated an unusual arrangement to ensure her welfare. A lottery was conducted among the three daughters to determine responsibility for her care.

Under the arrangement worked out by the police, each daughter will keep their mother with them for one week on a rotational basis and provide for her essential needs during that period.

The police-mediated solution was implemented to ensure that the elderly woman receives regular care and is not abandoned again. The intervention has drawn attention to the growing concerns surrounding the welfare of senior citizens and the responsibilities of family members towards ageing parents.

Authorities stated that the arrangement was aimed at securing immediate support for the woman while ensuring shared responsibility among her daughters.