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	Government Aid to Bereaved Family Challenged Newindpress August 22, 2008 http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IER20080822020725&Page=R&Title=Kerala&Topic=0 KOCHI: A public interest writ petition has been filed before the Kerala High Court praying to quash the State Cabinet's decision to grant an assistance of Rs 2 lakh to the parents of Sr Anupa Mary, an inmate of St Mary's Convent, Kollam, who committed suicide on August 11, 2008 allegedly due to the mental torture meted out to her from the superiors. The petitioner, Peter George of Edakochi, a teacher by profession, has also prayed to direct the government to prepare proper guidelines for financial assistance to the dependents of any person committing suicide or meeting with accidental death, and publish them for public knowledge. According to the petitioner, the writ petition had been filed to prevent misuse of public money by offering financial assistance in undeserving cases. The Cabinet on August 13 decided to grant Rs 2 lakh to the parents of the deceased nun without following any guidelines or principle. No such financial assistance had been given so far to the bereaved family of agriculturists who committed suicide on account of their inability to repay agricultural debts. Moreover, this kind of assistance will convey a wrong message and will be an incentive for others to commit suicide. Hence, the Cabinet decision is unjustifiable, the petitioner has pointed out.
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