OSC helps Tamil woman found wandering in Rajasthan

Usha (name changed) a 40-year-old mother of two, hails from Nallarikkai, a village between Ariyalur and Perambalur. She reached Chittoragarh in Rajasthan early this month after she left home on April 13. She was moved to a shelter at the OSC in Chittoragarh, after the Railway Police Force found her at the station on August 2. Her photo and details were circulated among contacts on the communication group for National OSCs and the staff at the centre in Chennai reached out to help, after realising that Usha spoke in Tamil. After being transferred to the centre here last week and undergoing psychological sessions and treatment at the Institute of Mental Health, she was moved to a home for the mentally challenged women in the city on Wednesday.

Auxilia Christina, centre administrator of the OSC in Chennai said, “We have contacted her husband, who is working as a daily wage labourer in Koyambedu. He told us that Usha has been suffering from mental issues for a while now. However, the woman claims that she was beaten up often and wants to find a job here. She will be provided psychological help and trained in vocational skills at the home. We plan to keep in touch with her family to see if there is a possibility of a reunion. She can continue to stay in the home, alternatively.”

The OSC functioning at Government Service Home in Tambaram has been a platform for seeking solutions to problems. In August, the centre saw seven cases, including those seeking legal aid, assistance and psychological counselling. 

Being the first in the State, the centre is funded by Nirbhaya Fund by the Central Government. For details, call: 044-22233355.