By NNN-PTI,
New Delhi : Almost half of the elderly owning property in their names in the national capital are harassed by their kith and kin, a study claimed here.
“Fortynine per cent of elderly with property in their names are being harassed by their own children and also the in-laws of their children,” a survey by NGO HelpAge India said.
Rest of the senior citizens were victimised by landlords, neighbours and civic bodies it said, adding that “maximum cases of abuse were from affluent colonies of the city”.
However, only 44 per cent of those facing harassment have reported the matter to the police and bulk of those who have not lodged complaints, are afraid of the abusers, said the study based on the sample survey conducted in the national capital.
Other reasons cited by the elderly for not taking the ordeal to the police being their emotional dependence on their children and their wish to “preserve family honour”.
“There is also a distinct lack of faith in the police and legal system and physical frailty becomes a constraint,” the study observed.