Man locks ill mother at home, takes wife, kids to Maha Kumbh for holy dip

NEW DELHI: A shocking incident unfolded in Jharkhand’s

Ramgarh district

when a man allegedly locked his ill mother in her home while he travelled with his family to Prayagraj for a holy dip in the

Maha Kumbh

. The 65-year-old woman, identified as

Sanju Devi

, was left confined in a quarter of Central Coalfields Limited (CCL) in the Subhash Nagar colony since Monday. She survived on flattened rice, known as chura, while her son, Akhilesh Kumar, went on the religious pilgrimage to the

Triveni Sangam

along with his wife, children, and in-laws. The woman’s plight came to light when she cried out in hunger, prompting neighbours to take action.
According to the police, the woman was rescued on Wednesday after her daughter, Chandni Devi, was alerted by neighbours about her mother’s condition. Ramgarh Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Parmeshwar Prasad, confirmed that the elderly woman had been locked up by her son in the CCL quarter. Kumar, an employee of CCL, had informed authorities that his mother was unwell and that he had made arrangements for her care, including food and drink. However, it was clear that these provisions were not being provided.
Chandni Devi, who lives approximately five kilometres away in Kahubera, said she received the alarming news from the neighbours. The police acted quickly, breaking the lock to rescue Sanju Devi. Neighbours immediately offered her food and medicine, and she was later admitted to the CCL hospital for further treatment.
Akhilesh Kumar, who was employed at CCL on compassionate grounds, had been working as a shovel operator in the Argada area. The incident has raised concerns about his treatment of his mother, especially considering his role in the local workforce.

Meanwhile, the ongoing Mahakumbh Mela in Prayagraj continues to draw millions of devotees. On Thursday, the Triveni Sangam was crowded with people taking a dip in the holy waters. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath praised the event, emphasising its significance and condemning the spread of misinformation about the Maha Kumbh. He noted that over 56.25 crore devotees had already participated in the event, highlighting its immense cultural and religious importance.
Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman and BJP MP Tejasvi Surya also attended the Mahakumbh, expressing their admiration for the scale of the event. Surya, who took part in the holy dip with hundreds of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) workers, lauded the administration’s organisation of the event, calling it a grand display of unity and faith. The Mahakumbh, now in its final days, has drawn over 550 million participants and is expected to conclude on February 26. Many pilgrims are also visiting other holy sites in the region, including Varanasi’s Kashi Vishwanath Temple and Ayodhya.