'I Am Alive': Muzaffarpur Woman Battles Official 'Death' Status

Pavitar Devi, a 75-year-old resident of Sanjay Cinema Road in Muzaffarpur, is living a nightmare where she has become a 'ghost' in the eyes of the law. Due to a major blunder by a government department, she was officially declared dead, leading to the immediate termination of her vital old-age pension. For months, she has been running from one office to another, pleading with officials to recognize her existence. The situation has become so absurd that she is often mockingly referred to as a 'living ghost' in her neighborhood. Frustrated by the lack of response from local authorities, she has filed petitions with both the State and National Human Rights Commissions through her advocate. The case has highlighted the deep-seated flaws in the verification process of social security schemes, where a simple clerical mistake can push a senior citizen to the brink of poverty and despair.