Thousands bid adieu to mentally disabled Karnataka man who took only Re 1 as alms

Mangalore Today News Network / News18

Ballary, Nov 17, 2021: Thousands of people turned out to bid adieu to a mentally challenged man, who died in a road accident recently in Ballary district of Karnataka. The videos and photos of the incident have gone viral on social media. People of Hadagali town near Ballary had a special bond with Basava a.k.a Huchcha Basya, a 45-year-old mentally challenged beggar. They believed it would bring good luck to give him alms. Hichcha Basya died in a road accident on Saturday and his final rites were conducted on Sunday. Thousands attended his funeral and people even put up banners in the city. His body was taken in a procession with music being played by a band on the arterial roads.

 

Many recounted their bond on social media. They said that Huchcha Basya addressed people as “appaji" (father). He took only Re 1 as alms from a person and returned the excess amount. He would not take more money even if forced.

He was known to former Deputy Chief Minister late M.P. Prakash and former Minister Parameshwara Naik and spoke to all politicians without any hesitation and with innocence. He was seen as a good luck charm and everyone respected him.

In an unrelated curious case of a deceased beggar amassing Rs 10 lakh surfaced on Monday in the temple town of Tirumala. Officials of the vigilance department of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) have recovered currency notes in various denominations from the home of Srinivasachari, who used to make a living through alms and petty businesses. Srinivasachari was allotted a house in a locality called Seshachalam near Tirumala, and was residing in it since 2007. Ever since he was keeping his earnings hidden at his home.

Following his death due to ill-health last year, and with no known family members, the TTD decided to repossess the house allotted to Srinivasachari.

When TTD and revenue department officials landed at the house and conducted a search of the premises, they came upon two trunks containing currency notes of various denominations.

The currency notes, including the now demonetised Rs 1,000 notes, totalled to around Rs 10 lakh. TTD officials have confiscated the money and deposited it with the TTD treasury.