Kerala man dies by suicide for not receiving disability pension
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Kozhikode: A 77-year-old physically challenged man, who was struggling to make ends meet, died by suicide in the district on Tuesday.
The man, identified as Valayath Joseph approached authorities after he and his daughter allegedly having not received pension for persons with disabilities for several months.
In a letter to the minister, district collector, Peruvannamuzhi police Station House Officer (SHO), and the panchayat secretary on November 9, Joseph sought pension due to himself and his physically challenged daughter within 15 days, according to The News Minute.
‘My eldest daughter Jincy is bedridden and there is no one to help. I am walking with the help of a stick. We are surviving with the disability pension that we get from the government, which has been stopped for several months now and we are tired of taking loans from people to live. Hence, I should get the pension amounts within 15 days. If not, I am informing the panchayat secretary that I will call news channels and take my life at the panchayat office,’ he reportedly said in the letter.
A former member of the Chakkittapara panchayat said that the man — Joseph — had given a letter to the panchayat stating that if does not receive his disability pension, he will commit suicide.
He has a daughter who is also disabled, the former panchayat member said.
With inputs from PTI