Mumbai: Lalita Subramaniam must have never imagined the kind of warmth and affection she would receive on her 82nd birthday. Fondly called “Mummy” by Matunga police station personnel, Subramaniam, who has been living alone at her Wadala west flat for the past 20 years, was pleasantly surprised on Monday when 25-odd Matunga police officials, led by DCP (operations), Mumbai crime branch, Ashok Dudhe, trooped into her home, cake and candles in tow, just to greet her on her birthday.
On her part, Subramaniam - whose husband died 30 years ago due to ailments and has two of her children settled in America and the third, a son, settled in Bangalore - treated the unexpected guests to a sumptuous lunch, including chicken, rice and sweets. A police source said that Matunga police personnel had developed a special bond with Subramaniam in the course of their interaction with her over the past many years. The police station’s beat constables were known to drop in at the senior citizen’s house daily to check on her wellbeing and help her with daily chores. Though Subramaniam’s kids visited her once every three or four years and never failed to send her a money order every month, she was loved equally by Matunga police officers who looked upon her as their own mother.
When The Asian Age contacted DCP Dudhe who was present at the birthday celebration, he said, “Subramaniam has been associated with the Matunga police station for the past 20 years. We have been helping her with daily chores and someone from the police station goes to her house daily to check on her. She is extremely loved by all and police officers take care of her just like their own mother.”
Police sources said Subramaniam’s children were very happy in the knowledge that their mother was safe and always accompanied by her extended family of police officers. Not only did the police officers run errands for her but at times, when she had speech problems and could not speak and called them, ringing a small bell she used for pooja to indicate it was her calling, they helped her get medical aid and so on.
