The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : The elderly are on edge

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Sep 02, 2006

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

The elderly are on edge

Two killed and an attempt on the life of another in a week... The police blame it on senior citizens' non-cooperation. The latter, beg to differ, writes Marri Ramu

More than loneliness, it is fear of criminals that is worrying senior citizens living alone in the city these days.

The killings of two elderly women and attempt on the life of another man in a week last month further added to their fears.

This is not first time that old people are targeted by offenders. An elderly doctor couple was killed by their driver in Tarnaka a few months ago.

A retired commercial tax officer was stabbed to death in his flat in Chikkadpally. Now, the police have come out with a security advisory for them to minimise the risk.

Security tips

Some are -- never open doors to strangers, do not conduct cash transactions openly, do not exhibit jewellery and valuable articles, verify antecedents of servantsbefore employing them, go out in groups, inform police if any suspicious person is spotted, keep a dog as a pet and keep emergency telephone numbers handy. Quoting their experience in Jubilee Hills and Banjara Hills, the police say there is little response to their appeals to elderly people who stay alone to register with the local police station.

Constables are now asked to go around with newspaper boys and list such persons.

Jubilee Hills Inspector M. Srinivas explains that out of the database of 30 senior citizens in his area, only four voluntarily gave details. So, it's difficult to make their profiles, he adds.

The other side

But K.N. Murthy, an engineer from Mahendra Hills where a septuagenarian Sankar Ambalika was stabbed to death in her house, begs to differ.

He maintains he never came across any such exercise in his locality.

A vigorous campaign across all parts of the city should be undertaken instead of confining such safety awareness programmes to selected areas, he feels.

Not many people, let alone senior citizens, know telephone numbers of local police stations and officers of their areas.

Even if they know, the limited number of telephone lines at main Police Control Room makes it difficult to contact police immediately.

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