PALASA (SRIKAKULAM): A woman sub-inspector on Monday carried the body of an 80-year-old homeless person on her shoulders for over one kilometre after no one came forward to shift it. The incident took place at Adavi Kottutu, a village on the outskirts of Sampangipuram in Kasibugga-Palasa, an area known for its cashew industries, in Andhra Pradesh's Srikakulam district.
After Kasibugga police received information about the death of an unknown person in the fields in Adavikotturu, sub-inspector Kotturu Sirisha reached there along with constables.
“We noticed the body of an unknown person, aged around 80 years, who locals said was a beggar. But bringing the body from the fields to the vehicle was difficult as there was no path to the road. We requested the villagers but no one came forward,” Sirisha told TOI.
The sub-inspector, who is a native of Vizag city and holds an pharmacy degree, said it was not a case of suspicious death as there were no injuries on the body.
It is likely the man died due to starvation as he was very frail and weak,” the SI said. When no one came forward to help shift the body, Sirisha took the initiative and carried the body on a makeshift stretcher with the help of a member from Lalitha Trust.
It took them about 25 minutes to reach the police vehicle. After seeing the woman police officer carrying the body, some villagers stepped forward and extended help to cremate the body.
Sirisha, who is the mother of a 12-year-old, told TOI she preferred a police job as her mason father wanted to see one of his four daughters join the force. She also worked in the prohibition and excise department.
She said she did not have any fear or sentiment when she decided to carry the body. “I joined the police force to serve people and extend my services to the society. The dead deserve dignity too. I only did my duty,” she said. DGP Gautam Sawang also lauded the humanitarian gesture of Sirisha.