Kozhikode: Two years after losing her daughter to suicide following a POCSO case, a grieving mother and her teenage son with a learning disability were left homeless on Friday after being evicted from their rented house. With nowhere to turn, the family—along with their three goats—took refuge outside the Kozhikode district collectorate, sitting under the open sky until late at night. They were moved to a temporary shelter after 11 pm with the intervention of human rights activists.

The family had been living in a rented house in Chelembra, near the Malappuram district border, for over three and a half years. However, mounting financial difficulties meant they were unable to pay the rent.

The house owner filed a complaint at the Parappanangadi Munsif Magistrate Court, which subsequently issued an eviction order. The eviction was carried out by the court-appointed official, known as the 'Ameen', with support from Thenhippalam police.

“There was a court order to evict them as they hadn’t paid rent for years. A couple of days ago, Ameen and his team attempted the eviction but couldn’t complete the process due to some complications. They then sought police protection and proceeded with the eviction on Friday morning,” said a police officer from the Thenhippalam station.

Human rights activist Noushad Thekkayil, who was informed of the family’s plight, brought them to the collectorate seeking urgent help. “They are helpless and have nowhere to go. Authorities must act. Several government bodies, including the Child Rights Commission, had earlier promised to build a house for them, but nothing materialised,” said Noushad. “For now, the mother and son have been moved to a safe house for the night. They’ll return in the morning to continue seeking shelter,” he added.

The woman, a widow from Ramanattukara in Kozhikode, expressed her desperation. “We’re struggling even to get a meal. I have health issues and can’t work. We’ve been surviving only because of kind-hearted people. My son is in higher secondary and has learning difficulties—he attends exams with the help of scribes. My daughter was so smart and was doing a teacher training course when she died,” she said.

Nadakkavu police visited the site and Sub Inspector Leela advised the woman to seek temporary shelter with relatives, as the weekend and Vishu holidays would delay official intervention. She assured the family that the issue would be brought to the attention of the relevant authorities, including the RDO.

The tragedy that led to the daughter’s death dates back to 2021, when she revealed to her fiancé that she had been raped by relatives before she turned 18. Police subsequently registered cases against some of them. She later attempted suicide but survived. In January 2022, however, she was found hanging in their rented home.