KOLKATA: The
murder of 74-year-old cancer patient
Subhra Ghosh Dastidar
, who was alone at her Behala residence, has once again raised questions over the
safety
of
senior citizens
in the city.
Though Ghosh Dastidar stayed with her son, daughterin-law and granddaughter in Behala’s Sisirbagan, she would be alone at home for better part of the day as they would leave by 9.30am.
The fact that despite her family frequently calling her up to find out if she was fine, somebody still managed to break in and murder. This, the cops say, suggests that the killer was well aware when Ghosh Dastidar was alone at home.
The news of her murder has evoked fear among several elderly people who either stay alone or spend hours at home alone.
Sapna Ghosh and her husband Alok Ghosh stay at a stand-alone building in Golf Green. Their daughter stays in Dum Dum.
“Just two of us stay in this building and depend on a lot of people for various services. As a result, a lot of people, who may not be too well known to us, have access to our house and are aware we stay alone. The news of the murder of the woman in Behala has made us scared because we are old and weak and can be an easy target of criminals,” said Sapna.
Sanjukta Basu, 62, a resident of a housing complex in Tollygunge, lost her husband earlier this year. Her daughter is settled in Europe.
“I stay alone, and the safety concern is always playing in the back of my mind. I stay in a complex where the security is adequate,” she said.
According to police, senior citizens are soft targets for criminals as they are weak and unable to protect themselves. They also have to rely on outsiders for various services which gives strangers easy access to their residences.
Cops say that the children and other relatives of senior citizens residing alone should also be alert and keep enquiring at frequent intervals. Pronam, an initiative by Kolkata Police, maintains a 24-hour help line for attending distress calls of senior citizens connected to their security and health issues.
“The first thing they should do is register their parents with ‘Pronam’ that is Kolkata Police’s initiative for elderly citizens in the city. This will help us make calls to them and even alert our local police station to keep a vigil. It is also the responsibility of the children, relatives and neighbours to check on them from time to time,” said an officer of the Kolkata Police’s community police wing.
The absence of community living or “para culture” has also led to rise in such cases.
Many senior citizens like Jaysree Chakraborti, 71, who was attacked by a burglar at her residence in Salt Lake’s Purbacahal Housing complex, have taken the responsibility of their safety on their own selves. When the incident took place last December, Chakraborti was alone at home. “I have installed a video calling bell and CCTV at the main entry point. I have learnt that my safety is my own responsibility and I cannot depend on anybody else for that,” she said.
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