Telangana: Elderly mason loses life savings as termites destroy Rs 1.5 lakh

Heartbroken Gaddam Lakshmaiah and his wife Lakshmi with the currency notes eaten by termites at their residence at Yellandu in Kothagudem district

Kothagudem: In a heartbreaking incident a poor labourer has lost his hard-earned money, which he saved for his autumn of life.

Cash worth Rs 1.50 lakh turned into worthless pieces of scrap paper as termites ate into them. Termites feasted on currency notes of Rs 2000, 500, 200 and 100 denominations that were preserved in a PVC suitcase.

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An elderly man, Gaddam Lakshmaiah of Sanjay Nagar of Yellandu town in the district works as a mason. He kept his savings earned from his work in the suitcase hoping the money would back him up when he could work no more.

But fate had other plans. With recent rains termites infested his old asbestos roofed house and the infestation spread into the precious suitcase as well. The mason left traumatised, when a couple of days ago, opened the suitcase to check the money that turned into scrap.

Some of his neighbours advised him to contact any local bank to exchange the damaged currency. Getting his hopes up Lakshmaiah along with his wife Lakshmi visited a few banks, but was met with a refusal.

The childless couple speaking to the media lamented that they went around the banks of the town with the damaged currency notes, but the bank officials advised them to go to Hyderabad as it was not possible to exchange money within their jurisdiction.

The elderly couple pleaded with the local public representatives and officials to help them as they could not afford to go to Hyderabad as all the money they had wasted. They said they do not have a bank account and hence preserved the cash in the suitcase.