Ranjana Devi, who had been battling for her life for five days after a brutal assault in Sasan panchayat under Sadar police station, succumbed to her injuries on Friday night at PGI Chandigarh. Her death has shattered the hopes of her 17-year-old specially-abled son Virendra alias Golu, who was completely dependent on his mother for care. The heart-wrenching incident has shocked the community and raised serious questions about social safety.
The 40-year-old woman was attacked on November 3 by a minor with the intent to molest her. Preliminary investigation revealed that Ranjana sustained injuries while resisting the attack, with her ear partially severed. She struggled between life and death at PGI Chandigarh for five days before losing the battle on Friday night.
Ranjana’s death has left her specially-abled son without his primary caregiver. Golu was entirely dependent on his mother, who looked after all his needs. Relatives and close ones had been taking care of Golu for the past five days, but now they struggle to find the courage and words to tell him that he will no longer be fed by his mother’s hands.
Ranjana’s first child, a daughter, had died just 17 days after birth. Golu was born a few years later. Being specially-abled since childhood, Golu was completely dependent on his mother. Golu’s father Vijay Kumar works as a beldar in the Public Works Department. The responsibility of caring for Golu now falls on his uncle and aunt. While Golu sometimes accompanied his aunt to the shop, he spent most of his time with his mother.
On November 3, Ranjana was heading to the fields to cut grass when a minor attacked her with the intent to molest. When the woman resisted, the minor assaulted her with a sickle and stick. The injured woman was admitted to Medical College and later referred to PGI Chandigarh given her critical condition. She could not recover from the wounds inflicted by the minor and died on Friday night.
