On Saturday morning, Mumbai Police received a disturbing call about an elderly woman spotted near a garbage heap in Aarey Colony’s Unit No. 32. Arriving swiftly, they found 60-year-old Yashoda Gaikwad dressed in a pink nightdress and grey petticoat, weak and wounded, unable to move. Her frail voice barely audible, she whispered to the officers: “My grandson left me here.”
Yashoda’s face bore severe untreated wounds, later identified as ulcerative lesions—possibly signs of skin cancer. Her eyes told a story of deep pain, abandonment, and despair.
Hours of neglect before hospital admission
Despite police efforts, Yashoda was denied admission at Jogeshwari Trauma Care Hospital due to lack of facilities. Cooper Hospital, too, initially turned her away after a brief examination. It was only after nearly eight hours—at 5:30 pm—that she was finally admitted, following the personal intervention of Senior Inspector Ravindra Patil from Aarey Police Station.
"If police can go to such lengths for a stranger, why can't government hospitals show basic humanity?" a frustrated officer questioned.
Diagnosed with skin cancer
Doctors at Cooper Hospital later confirmed that Yashoda is suffering from basal cell carcinoma, a form of skin cancer. “She has ulceroproliferative growths on her cheek and nose. Her vitals are currently stable,” said Dr. Sudhir Medhekar, Dean of Cooper Hospital.
Police search for family
Yashoda provided two addresses—one in Malad and one in Kandivali—believed to be associated with her family. So far, police have found no relatives. Her photograph has been circulated across police stations, and CCTV footage is being reviewed in an attempt to identify her grandson.
A plea for compassion
Senior Inspector Patil has urged the public to help trace Yashoda’s family. “If anyone recognises her, please come forward,” he said.
In a city of millions, Yashoda's story is a heartbreaking reminder: sometimes, the worst cruelty comes not from strangers—but from those we trust the most.
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