Elderly couple seeks euthanasia after death of 9 family members, financial issues

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Surat: An elderly couple of age 73 and 68 from Surat, Gujarat have written to district collector to seek permission for euthanasia.

The reason behind the demand is said to be due to years of physical, mental, and financial harassment from Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) and local political leaders.

The couple is identified as 73-year-old, Shyambhai Kapoorji Gehlot and his 68-year-old wife, Madhuben.

The present two reasons in the written letter one is that they are suffering from financial issues due to repeated shop sealing. The second reason is that they had lost nine members of their family in a road accident.

The tragic road accident in which they lost their family members took place in the year 2016. The incident have made them lonely and emotionally exhausted. The couple’s only son, daughter-in-law, grandchildren, daughter, son-in-law and another relative were the victims of the accident.

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The Gehlot also stated that they had purchased 11 small shops in the year 2006. They were also paying taxes regularly as their shops came under the SMC’s jurisdiction in 2008.

They alleged that SMC sealed their shops without any prior notice in the year 2021. Following the incident they took the matter to the court and fought a legal battle for nearly five years.

However, after the Fire Department report said small shops don’t need the same fire safety rules as big buildings, so the shops were finally reopened on January 31 this year. It got sealed again in May without any written warning or reason behind the action.

The couple has requested permission for euthanasia, stating that they have been left mentally and financially exhausted by the prolonged dispute.

Also Read: India’s first passive euthanasia recipient Harish Rana dies, cremated in Delhi

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