The Risk of Loneliness and Safety for the Elderly: Increasing Incidents of Murders During Robberies Targeting Those Living Alone

Elderly people living alone are facing increasing risks of loneliness and safety threats, with rising incidents of murders during robberies. Police reports show a growing trend of elderly people being targeted for their property while living alone in secluded homes.

On July 24, Padmakumari Sunuwar, a 75-year-old woman from Kalinchok, Dolakha, was murdered for her elderly allowance. Krishna Karki, who came to stay at her house, attacked and killed her with a khukuri after knowing she had recently received her allowance while she was sleeping. He is now in police custody. According to Dolakha DSP Yuvraj Khadka, the old woman’s husband died a year ago. The younger son is living in Kathmandu. The eldest son died and his family was also living separately. According to the police, Karki, who went to live in the old lady’s house alone, planned the murder. DSP Khadka says, “Maybe this incident would not have happened if the old lady was not alone at home.” During questioning, the accused, Karki, revealed that he planned the murder after learning that the woman had recently collected her elderly allowance. However, after the murder, he panicked and fled the scene.

Similar incidents have occurred on March 19. 69-year-old Surya Bahadur Gharti Gharti and 63-year-old Gamala Gharti Gharti living in Jaljala Rural Municipality-2 were killed in the middle of the night with wooden sticks and sharp weapons. Their house was secluded and only two people lived there. Krishna Bahadur Vishwakarma and Deepak Darji of the same village killed them based on information that they had gold ornaments and cash. A month after the incident, the police arrested the accused. Their two sons lived in Korea and one son lived in Benibazar. On receiving the information, they entered the house at night and committed murder and robbery.

On December 10, 2022, in Dhading, Tripurasundari Rural Municipality-3, 74-year-old Bishnu Bahadur Alemgar and 67-year-old Nirmaya Alemgar were killed at home in Mulpani. Two local teenagers killed them with the intention of robbing them of their mobile phone. It was revealed that the children studying in 8th and 6th grade had committed murder due to the temptation of mobile phones. They said that they killed in this way to play mobile games. Magardampati was alone at home as the children were abroad.

On 20 Jan 2023, an 62-year-old woman was killed for robbery in Sankhuwasabha. Local resident Akash Rai met 62-year-old Dilkumari Ghimire in solitude and killed her with an ax and robbed her of her jewellery. One son of the deceased was abroad and the other son was disabled. Investigations revealed that she was murdered because the attacker took advantage of her being alone. DSP Ghanshyam Shrestha of Sankhuwasabha said, “When children are not with them, the elderly become more vulnerable.”

On 13 September , 2022, an old woman who was living alone in Dharan was killed for her jewelry. In Todke located in Dharan-20, the property was looted after the murder of Purnimaya Rai. It was revealed that 18-year-old Nikhil alias Nakul Rai of Sangurigarhi-8 in Dhankuta and Ranjit Sah of Sunsari Bhokraha had been watching her for a week. . The police disclosed that the murder was to raise money for drugs.

Elderly people are physically weak and living alone makes them easy targets for criminals. Greed for gold jewelry is a common motive. In rural areas, houses are often isolated, and elderly people cannot defend themselves, making them vulnerable to acquaintances who commit murders out of greed.

President of the Federation of Senior Citizens, Chhatra Bahadur Pradhan, says that the family as well as the state should pay special attention to the safety of the elderly due to loneliness. “Many of our children are abroad, daughter-in-law tend to move in the city after the son goes abroad, due to which the elderly are left alone,” he says, “because the elderly are easy targets for criminals, it is necessary for the home administration to make a special plan for their safety.” According to him, since Article 42 of the Constitution states that senior citizens are entitled to special protection from the state, therefore there should be a special arrangement.

Chandrakala Paudel, spokesperson for the Ministry of Women, Children, and Senior Citizens, said that the issue of security for senior citizens has been raised in inter-agency meetings, and a letter has been sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs.

According to AIG Tek Bahadur Tamang of Nepal Police, incidents of killing elderly people living alone to steal their property have been seen in various districts. “We will make a special plan for their safety through community-police partnership program,” he said.

Source- https://nayapatrikadaily.com/news-details/146520/2024-08-01