THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Childline and the Fort police came to the rescue of a father and his two sons who were forced to take shelter on the verandah of a school and at a shopping complex in the city after they were ousted from a rented house. The house owner falsely cited that one child was Covid-19 positive. The hapless family has now been shifted to a children’s home at Poojapura.
Raja, a native of Kollam, and his sons -- Moses, a Class X student, and Joshua, a Class VIII student -- came to Thiruvananthapuram three months ago in search of a job. His wife died eight years ago. So he rented a home at Valiyathura.
Last month, one of his sons suffered a fever. This caused panic among the residents who suspected him to be COVID-infected. Soon, the house owner evicted them. Since then, the trio has been taking shelter in front of shops and the Fort High School. Raja, jobless, was unable to rent another house.
Health Minister K K Shailaja and Revenue Minister E Chandrasekharan have sought a report from the District Collector Navjot Khosa on the matter.