Kundapura: Differently-abled daughter spend three days with mother’s corpse

Team Udayavani, May 19, 2024, 9:17 AM IST

Kundapura: In a heartbreaking incident in Kundapur, a young differently-abled woman named Pragati was left alone with her deceased mother’s body for three days.

Jayanthi Shetty (61), a resident of Dasanahadi, Gopadi, was found dead in a decomposed state on the night of May 16.

Pragati, who has been mentally challenged since childhood and recently had a leg amputated due to diabetes, lived with her mother in their Dasanahadi home. Jayanthi, a dedicated and caring mother, had been managing the household since the death of her husband, a retired bank officer, several years ago.

On May 12, Jayanthi visited the Anegudde temple to pray for her daughter’s recovery. She informed a local rickshaw driver about her plans to visit Koteshwara temple on May 13. However, when the rickshaw driver called her on the morning of May 13, there was no response. It is suspected that Jayanthi might have fallen and suffered fatal injuries sometime between the evening of May 12 and the morning of May 13. Tragically, Pragati was left alone in the house without food or water, alongside her mother’s corpse for three days.

Jayanthi suffered from diabetes and high blood pressure, which could have contributed to her sudden death. Blood stains were found on the wall and floor, raising suspicions that she might have slipped and fallen while going to the bathroom. A postmortem examination was conducted in Manipal, and the exact cause of death will be determined once the report is available.

The grim situation came to light when neighbors noticed that the house gate had not been opened for three days. They called out but received no response. On the night of May 16, a strong stench prompted locals to investigate.

Suresh Shetty, Gopadi gram panchayat president, assisted the neighbors in locating Jayanthi. Kundapur SI Vinaya S. Korlahalli and her team arrived promptly, broke down the door, rescued the ailing Pragati, and admitted her to the hospital for treatment.

Pragati, 32, is currently recovering at a private hospital. She was scheduled to receive an artificial leg on May 14, but fate took a tragic turn.