Fearing COVID, family locks selves for 15 months in Andhra Pradesh

The matter came to light when a village volunteer went to get their thumb impression for allowing a housing plot for them under a government scheme.

East Godavari: Andhra Pradesh police on Wednesday rescued a family, who confined themselves to a tent house for almost 15 months in Andhra Pradesh’s Kadali village in fear of getting infected by COVID-19.

According to Kadali village sarpanch Choppala Gurunath, Ruthamma (50), Kanthamani (32), and Rani (30) locked themselves almost 15 months ago when one of their neighbour died due to COVID-19.

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The matter came to light when a village volunteer went to get their thumb impression for allowing a housing plot for them under a government scheme. The volunteer informed the matter to village sarpanch and others.

Speaking to ANI, Gurunath said, “The family of Chuttugalla Benny, his wife, and two children, have been residing here. They were afraid of Corona and locked themselves in the house for almost the past 15 months. They confined themselves to the house and locked it from inside. Any volunteer or ASHA worker who went to that house used to return as nobody was responding. Recently some of their relatives informed that three persons are locked down themselves in that house and their health is in bad condition.”

“Coming to know the matter, we rushed to this place and informed the police. Rajole Sub Inspector Krishnamachari and the team came here and rescued them. Their condition was very pathetic when they came out. Their hair was grown without any grooming, they did not bathe for many days. We immediately rushed them to Government Hospital. Now they are undergoing treatment at the hospital,” he added.

According to Sarpanch, the family would have died if they continued in the same way for two or three more days.

“Their matter came to light when our village volunteer went to their house to get their thumb impression as they were allotted a housing site. When he called them, they denied to come out by saying that they would die if they come out. The volunteer had informed us of the matter, and we rushed to this place. The family is staying inside the small tent, they even attended the nature calls within that small tent. We have shifted them to hospitals with the help of villagers and the police. Now they are undergoing medical treatment,” he said.

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