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Naveen Menezes
Pics: Brijesh Garodi
Daijiworld Media Network
Karkala, May 10: Her daughter was killed and her son-in-law, accused of the murder, committed suicide. At 76, she is all alone, with the additional responsibility of taking care of her two orphaned grandchildren.
Korapalu Poojary in the twilight of her life has gone through much sorrow. Her little grandchildren Suraksha (8) and Sushma (7) were orphaned after their father allegedly stabbed his wife to death in a drunken stupor, and later committed suicide.
The incident had been reported by Daijiworld on February 22 earlier this year. In a brave and heart-touching gesture, Shalini (35), the mother of the unfortunate children, had pleaded for her killer husband's life and expressed her last wish that he should not be harmed, even as she lay dying in the hospital. Her husband Sudhakar (36) was found hanging from a tree five days later.
The tragedy left not only the kids orphaned, but even plunged the grandmother into the depths of poverty, helplessness and great sorrow.
Background
Shalini was allegedly stabbed by her alcoholic husband Sudhakar Poojary on the morning of Feb 21. The man had pestered his wife for money and reportedly stabbed her after she refused. He flee from the scene when she collapsed.
The wounded woman was brought to the hospital with the knife still on her abdomen, and doctors had to remove it. However, she could not be saved.
Reportedly, he had purchased a new knife on the previous day with the intention of murdering his soft-spoken and good-natured wife. He stabbed her the next morning when their kids were still sleeping in the same room, it is said.
The incident shocked the villagers, but they were in for further alarm when Sudhakar's body was found hanging from a tree five days later, in a case of suspected suicide.
With both the mother and the father dead, the onus of looking after the two children fell on the aged grandmother.
Shalini was the youngest among the five daughters of the late Kuddu and Korapolu Poojary of Kolejal, Bola district of Karkala. Though she was given in marriage to Sudhakar of Irgaan, they chose to live in her parental house so as to take care of the aged Korapolu Poojary.
Sudhakar worked for a rice mill and was also a daily wager, while Shalini rolled bidi to support the family. He used to come home drunk and batter his wife and children, but Shalini tolerated the pain and kept mum to save the family's honour and in the hope that he would turn over a new leaf someday.
The good-hearted relatives and villagers managed to pool in whatever little they could from their savings for the grandmother to look after the unfortunate kids. At present, the children are in their aunt's (Shalini’s elder sister) house. It is said that the children refused to stay in the grandmother's house where they witnessed the brutal murder of their mother.
But the money collected is hardly enough for day-to-day expenditure, and not at all for the education of the children. Hence, financial support from organizations and well-wishers would be timely.
The children who study in Vidyabigini primary school of Kedinje need the support of generous people for a brighter future.
Just before the incident took place, the family had built a new house in the month of November with the support of relatives and the panchyat. The loans taken for construction of the house are again an added burden to the family.
Organizations and individuals who wish to help the family may can send their contributions to the children's aunt Shantha Poojary, who is the guardian.
Address:
Shantha Poojary
W/o Late Sridhar Poojary
Kollajal House
Bola Post, Karkala.
Bank account details:
Canara Bank
Shanta Poojary
Account No.: 0868101000914
Branch Code: 000868
Kedinje Branch,
Padubidri, Karkala.
IFSC code: CNRB0000868
Contact: Shantha +91 8277033067
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