70-year-old on fast to stop family from selling home

One may have heard people going on strike to protest against government machinery but a septuagenarian here has embarked upon a hunger strike for an altogether different purpose.

Seventy-year-old Sushant Das, a resident of Narahi locality in the state capital, has gone on an indefinite hunger strike to protest against his family members’ alleged attempt to oust him from his ancestral house.

Das, who began his hunger strike on Sunday, remained adamant despite the efforts made by the elders in the locality to stop him. He said he had to resort to it as his pleas to government officials have not been answered.

Das, who is unmarried, alleged that his family members, including his brothers and sister, want to sell the ancestral house. “They want to throw me out of the house so that they can sell it and get money. As it is a big house, they feel it can fetch them a large amount of money,” he said.

A visibly upset and sad Das said he never thought of marrying as for him the upbringing of his two brothers and a sister after the untimely death of his parents was the utmost priority. “I sacrificed all my life for them and what they are giving me in return. For a few lakhs of rupees they want to throw me out,” he said.

“My pleas have fallen on deaf ears,” said Das, who alleged that he was manhandled by his family on several occasions. “I was forced to sit on hunger strike,” he added.

Carrying a placard that narrates his story in brief, the 70-year-old man has been sitting outside his house. He has become a centre of attention for the passersby as well as the residents of the locality.

His brother Pradeep has denied the allegations.