Patna: Thursday's double murder at Buddha Colony is yet another pointer that the city is becoming unsafe for senior citizens.

Senior citizens living alone have often become the target of criminals - mostly persons the victims knew.

A year back, an elderly woman, Asha Devi, was murdered with a sharp-edged weapon when she was alone in her house. The police had arrested three persons; all of them knew Asha and used to visit her house regularly.

Two years ago, an elderly couple, Bipin Bihari Sharma and Sunita Devi, were murdered at their house, Salona Kunj at Kidwaipuri. They were in their seventies and were strangulated to death. The police had arrested the couple's driver, who along with a friend had executed the murders to loot the family.

The elderly couple's murder on Thursday also reminded many of the 2006 murder of historian and Patna University teacher Papiya Ghosh, killed by robbers who had entered her house to loot her.

In all these cases the senior citizens were living alone and their children were living elsewhere. All the victims had caretakers to look after them.

Thursday's double murder has sparked fresh fear among senior citizens in the city, especially those who live alone.

S.N. Choudhary, a retired deputy chief controller of the railways, is among them.

"Elderly people are facing different kind of problems in the city and one among them is the security issue," he said. "One of my friends, who is a retired deputy superintendent of police, has now come to realise how the city has become unsafe for elderly people like him. He was locked out in his own house by his younger son. He is now fighting a legal battle with him. Things would have been different for him had the policing been correct in the state capital."

Choudhary, a resident of Patrakar Nagar, added: "The state government came up with the Bihar Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Rules in 2012. As per the rules framed by the state government, the local police stations were supposed to visit houses of senior citizens to find out whether they need any kind of protection or not.

"I personally visited Patrakar Nagar police station to find out from the cops why this is not being implemented but I could not get a satisfactory answer from them. The rules also say that in case children are not living with their parents who are senior citizens, they (the children) have to give Rs 10,000 monthly maintenance amount to them (the parents) but all these rules are not being implemented over here."

S.K. Laurence (65), a resident of Shivaji Nagar, also said the lack of policing is a major factor in the feeling of insecurity.

"I am engaged in social service," he said. "Two days ago, I was threatened by two strangers just outside my house. The lane before my house was dark because the streetlight had become non-functional. The strangers took the opportunity of the darkness and threatened me. Cops should be on vigil for the senior citizens' safety. I live alone in my house. My wife died due to cancer in 2014. I have a daughter who is married and she lives in Mumbai."

He asked: "If the keepers of law and order are not supportive to the senior citizens, how can they survive in these conditions?"