MANDYA: Residents of Guttalu Layout here were stunned when they found a 74-year-old woman, begging for nearly 40 years, had Rs 8.4 lakh stashed in her single-room home.It took two days and several people to count the money, leaving her family and neighbours stumped by her savings. The coins and notes were stored in eight sacks.Noor died on Wednesday. When she was not seen for 2-3 days, neighbours went to her house. When there was no response, they forced open the door to find her dead.As they searched through her belongings, they found the sacks with money Noor had accumulated through years of begging. Her family said they had no idea she had been saving money. Noor never allowed anyone into her home.The discovery was brought to the notice of mosque leaders, who helped count the hoard. When the process ended after two days, there was a staggering Rs 8.4 lakh.After consulting Noor’s brother, the mosque authorities reportedly decided not to keep the money. The amount was handed over to her younger brother Abbas, who had provided Noor the house in which she lived.Relatives and mosque leaders rejected claims that Noor, who was speech and hearing impaired, had been forced into begging because her family had abandoned her.Besides Abbas, other relatives had also offered her a place to stay. However, Noor preferred to live alone.Noor’s brothers performed her last rites with the assistance of local residents.
