A 62-year-old woman, T. Hymavathi, reportedly committed suicide by jumping in Krishna River, after her relatives abandoned her suspecting that she was contracted with COVID-19.
Hymavathi’s son, died of ill-health a couple of days ago, and the family members did not come forward to perform the final rites, suspecting that he died with the virus.
The old woman’s son and daughter-in-law was running a garments shop in Nagayalanka town. Recently, Hymavathi’s daughter-in-law was shifted to a quarantine home as she had tested positive.
Suspecting that Hymavathi’s son died due to COVID-19, family members and the villagers elders have not come forward to perform final rites to the body. The relatives did not allow Hymavathi into their houses.
“Hymavathi went to her brother’s house in Nagayalanka, who denied entry to her. She was seen speaking in a disturbed mood on Sunday, and cried as no body was performing funeral to her son’s body. Later, she went missing,” said a local.
On knowing about the missing of the woman, Avanigadda CI B.B. Ravi Kumar and Nagayalanka SI Krishna registered a case and traced the body in Krishna River on Sunday evening.
“On Monday we performed final rites to Hymavathi and her son with the help of Grama Panchayat staff. However, village elders refused to participate in the funeral. The family was completely disturbed due to fear on the dreaded virus,” said Mr. Ravi Kumar.
Avanigadda Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) M. Ramesh Reddy said the couple has a daughter and she was sent to her grandmother’s house to prevent from the virus.
Eluru Range DIG K.V. Mohan Rao, Krishna district Superintendent of Police M. Ravindranath Babu, ASP Vakul Jindal and other officers praised the Nagayalanka police for showing humanity during COVID time and performing funeral to the bodies.