After 10 years of solitude, leprosy patient rescued

A good samaritan has become a rare breed to find, indicates the plight of a 35-year-old leprosy patient, who was, on Saturday rescued from his house at Theppakulam after 10 years in solitude.According to police, P Soundarajan, a native of Chennai, settled in Madurai since his childhood.

“He has been suffering from leprosy for the last 10 years and was found abandoned at his house in Nadutheru near Theppakulam, with no relatives or friends to take care of him,” said Theppakulam police sub-inspector K John.However, all these years, the neighbours too failed to take any step towards rescuing him and the stigma compelled him to remain confined to his home. He never came out of his house fearing the humiliation. However, it is said that Soundarajan, who had lent some money to the neighbours earlier, was given food by them instead of paying the interest.” Recently, a bad odour started emanating from the house, after which the residents contacted the police and urged us to shift the person from there,” John said. The police, immediately, contacted Ward Councillor Kadher Ammal of the area and got him shifted to a government rehabilitation centre in Y Puthupatti village on Saturday. According to Kadher Ammal, at the treatment home, the doctors cleansed his body and gave him first aid.

“The doctors said that several of his body parts are in a decayed stage. However, he could survive if his one hand is cut off,” a police officer said. According to the ambulance driver A Harikrishnan, who shifted him to the treatment home, the people should be a bit more considerate on such issues.

“I am seeing the plight of many people like him, who are abandoned by their relatives. Hence, the government should also take necessary steps to rehabilitate such people,” he urged.