The National Commission for Women on AIDS Widow's Death:

[Guest guest]

AIDS Patient may have been cremated alive: NCW

The National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson, Poornima Advani told

reporters here today that the 32-year -old HIV/AIDS patient, Poonamma - who died

under mysterious circumstances at Kuppam village of Chittoor district in Andra

Pradesh on July 3 - could have been cremated alive by her family.

The NCW team, which visited the village earlier this week reached this

conclusion after it found " no evidence to prove Poonamma's death " . The

possibility of a " live and lingering " Poonmma having been cremated cannot be

ruled out, Ms.Advani said.

The Andra Pradesh Chief Minister, Chandrababu Naidu, represents the Kuppam

Assemly constituency. " There is no confirmation of death even when Poonamma

reached the cremation ground " , Ms. Advani said, describing the death as an

extreme example of stigma and discrimination leading to a pathetic death in the

backyard of her brother's house , unwanted by the neighbourhood and society. The

crematotium, where the last rites were performed does not maintain a record of

the dead.

A victim of poverty, social stigma, discrimination and isolation, Poonmma was

also made a victim of " organised carelessness " and was let down by individuals

and institutional structures, Ms.Advani said. Her death became a major

controversy after the local newspapers reported it and non-governmental

organisations alleged that she had been " stoned to death " by the villagers. The

allegations of her being " physically killed " could not be substantiated, but the

NCW team conclued that Poonmma was " driven to death " by the withdrawal of social

and institutional support.

The team spoke to 28 persons, including police and medical officers,

individually and interacted with 180 people during a public hearing at the

village. " In the absence of a clear time of death, the team wondered whether

Poonmma - while she was alive and lingerling - was bundled and transported to

the crematorium. The time of her death had not been established by an

independent witness except for the version of her mother and brother. There is

no corroborative evidence - not even a certificate by the doctor - to

emphatically say whether she died at her house, during transportation while

being taken to the crematorium or on the pyre, " Ms. Advani said.

Even worse was the fact that she was cremated at a place meant for the Scheduled

Castes. Her family refused to pick up the ashes fearing they would contract the

" diasease " .

Poonmma tested positive for HIV/AIDS in June last year and came to stay with her

mother and brother due to lack of medical facilities. She was confined to the

backyard of her house where her mother looked after her until three days before

her " death " . Poonmma's family was reportedly pressured by neighbours to " get rid

of her " . Unable to bear the social pressure, her brother allegedly " cremated "

her with the help of three persons, who were paid Rs. 600 for the purpose.

Source:THE HINDU, Friday,July 18,2003,Page No.11,Madurai Edition)

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Forwarded by S. Sankar

A.SANKAR

Executive Director

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