TV
In a deeply disturbing and heartbreaking incident, a 60-year-old woman battling cancer was found abandoned amidst piles of garbage in Mumbai’s Aarey Colony, allegedly left there by her own grandson.
The woman, identified as Yashoda Gaikwad, was discovered in an extremely frail and vulnerable state by Mumbai Police early Saturday morning. She was lying helplessly near a roadside dump, struggling to move or even call for help.
A Heartbreaking Confession
On being approached by the police, Yashoda reportedly whispered a shocking accusation that her grandson had dumped her there. The motive remains unclear, but the act has triggered outrage and sorrow, highlighting the grim reality of ‘elder neglect’ in urban India.
Police said the woman is suffering from skin cancer and appeared to be in advanced stages of the disease. She had no belongings on her, and only managed to share two addresses, one in Malad, the other in Kandivali—believed to be linked to her family members.
Struggle for Admission
Despite the police locating her in the morning, multiple hospitals allegedly refused admission due to the severity of her medical condition. It was only by 5:30 PM, after hours of effort, that she was finally admitted to Cooper Hospital for urgent care.
The delay in treatment has raised serious questions about medical gatekeeping and institutional apathy toward patients with no immediate family support.
Search for Family Underway
Police have since launched a search for her relatives and are investigating the case to ascertain why a family member would commit such an inhumane act. Her photo has been circulated across Mumbai’s police stations to help trace kin and verify her statements.
Speaking to reporters, a senior officer said, “We are trying to locate her family. Her condition is stable for now, but she remains extremely weak. The reasons behind her abandonment are still being investigated.”
A Shocking Reflection of Family Breakdown
The case of Yashoda Gaikwad throws a harsh light on elder abuse and abandonment, an issue often buried beneath India’s deeply held beliefs of familial care and respect for elders. That a woman battling cancer was left to die in garbage by her own blood, paints a grim picture of emotional and moral breakdown in parts of the modern society.
As Mumbai Police dig deeper, the question remains: What drives someone to forsake a loved one so cruelly?
