Elderly Woman Falls at DC’s Feet for Shelter in Kodagu, DC Venkat Raja Draws Widespread Condemnation

A video grab of an elderly woman falling at DC Venkat Raja’s feet.

Madikeri: A deeply moving incident in Madikeri has spotlighted the precarious lives of several vulnerable families in Kodagu district. An elderly woman, Ratnamma, fell at the feet of Kodagu Deputy Commissioner Venkat Raja, tearfully pleading for a home in a safer location, as her current residence lies directly below a collapsing retaining wall built to prevent landslides.

The incident occurred on Thursday when DC Venkat Raja visited the danger-prone area within Madikeri City Municipal limits. A video of the heart-wrenching moment, widely shared by local media, shows Ratnamma despite her age and frailty collapsing in front of Venkat Raja, begging for help. The video has triggered widespread outrage and criticism of district officials, with citizens condemning the government’s failure to provide timely rehabilitation to affected families.

Journalist based in Bengaluru, Darshan Devaiah B P took to X (formerly Twitter) to sharply criticise those responsible. He wrote: "Heartbreaking. An elderly woman in #Kodagu falls at the feet of the Deputy Commissioner, pleading for a roof over her head. Shame on officials! They should be ashamed for reducing people to this."(Read X post here)

SwayamJagruthi in a X post stated, “Absolutely heartbreaking! No citizen, should be pushed to such desperation for basic shelter. Authorities must act with humanity, not force people to beg for their rights. If basic shelter becomes a privilege and not a right, what are our taxes even for?”

According to a report in Asianet Suvarna News, Ratnamma continues to earn a living by washing vessels and doing household chores in other people’s homes, even in her twilight years. "She has not committed any crime to deserve this plight," the report stated, highlighting the indignity she endured by having to fall at the feet of a government officer for a basic necessity shelter.

The immediate concern stems from the crumbling retaining wall built alongside National Highway 275, which connects Madikeri and Mangaluru. According to reports the wall, located at a site that witnessed a devastating landslide in 2018, was constructed over five years at an estimated cost of ₹3 crore. Completed just a year ago, the structure is now showing signs of collapse following heavy rainfall over the past three months.

A large section of the wall has already given way, sliding towards the homes of Ratnamma and five other families. Officials from the Revenue Department who assessed the situation warned that a large-scale collapse was imminent and posed a serious risk to life and property.

Despite warnings, residents were initially reluctant to evacuate, citing their inability to abandon livestock, poultry, and essential possessions. “Where will we go with our pigs and chickens?” one of the residents reportedly asked officials. Nevertheless, they were eventually persuaded to leave with their children, dependents, important documents, and whatever essentials they could carry.

The tragic irony is that Ratnamma was promised a house in 2018, after the original landslide. But that assurance was quietly withdrawn in the years that followed, leaving her to fend for herself in a dangerous zone. Now, as the retaining wall itself threatens to collapse, the same fear and uncertainty have returned, report stated.

Speaking to the media at the site, Deputy Commissioner Venkat Raja said he had seen the families’ suffering firsthand. “I will bring this to the notice of the government and work towards ensuring that these families are given houses in safe locations,” he said.

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