Ham radio unites nonagenarian woman who got estranged from kin

Kolkata: Her intense desire to exercise her franchise by casting a vote made her cut short her Mumbai tour and return to her native village at Banka, Bihar on April 26. However, the nonagenarian woman unfortunately boarded the wrong train on her way back and travelled to Howrah only to get estranged from her family members.

Coming to her rescue and emerging as good samaritans, the ham radio enthusiasts in the state united the woman with her family members.

The woman was spotted in a sickly condition desperate for food and water by cops from Golabari Police Station in Howrah. She was taken to Howrah Zilla Hospital where she was treated at the Female Medicine ward till her health conditions improved.

However, the police authorities failed to decipher the incoherent language spoken by the elderly woman when she was asked about her address and family members. The police sought assistance from West Bengal Radio Club (WBRC) — the organisation of ham radio enthusiasts in the state.

“The woman — Sajmu Nisha Saioman — could only tell us the name of her native village Salmanpur and pleaded to us to take her to her native village so that she can cast her franchise on April 26. After much difficulty, we managed to trace Salmanpur under Banka district in Bihar,” Ambarish Nag Biswas, secretary of WBRC said. Interestingly, the primary school which is the polling booth for the nonagenarian woman will be merged with another venue soon after this year’s Parliamentary poll.

The poll panel had initially decided to withdraw this polling venue, thanks to its decrepit condition. However, an appeal from the local rural body made the Election Commission allow voting for the last time. “When she learnt that the polling venue would be shifted, she was gripped by a sense of desperation to cast her franchise,” Nag Biswas said.

“We are extremely happy to be able to unite the nonagenarian woman with her family members with the combined efforts of police, hospital, district administration and ham radio. Her intense desire to be part of the democratic process will be an inspiration for all voters to exercise their franchise,” a senior EC official in the district said.