Cancer-patient grandma dumped in garbage; grandson admits to dumping her
What's the story
A 70-year-old woman was discovered abandoned on a garbage dump in Mumbai's Aarey Colony on Saturday morning. She had spent the entire night there after being abandoned. The victim, Yashoda Gaikwad, suffers from skin cancer and mental health issues. She had been living with her grandson Sagar Shewale and his family in Malad before the incident.
Police
Gaikwad became aggressive
Authorities claimed Gaikwad became aggressive late Friday night and tried to strangle herself and attack her grandson. Shewale and his uncle, Babasaheb Gaikwad, then tried to hospitalize her late at night, but the hospital denied admission due to service unavailability. CCTV showed the uncle and nephew entering and leaving the hospital with the elderly woman.
Conflicting statements
Here's how the incident unfolded
Initially, Shewale had claimed that his grandmother left home on her own but later admitted to abandoning her. CCTV footage also revealed discrepancies in their statements. The police then investigated further and found that Shewale had indeed abandoned his grandmother. After returning home around 3:30am, he, along with his uncle Babasaheb Gaikwad, took Yashoda to a garbage dump on Dargah Road with help from rickshaw driver Sanjay Kudshim.
Legal action
Case registered against Shewale and his uncle
The police have now booked Shewale and his uncle under Section 125 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita for endangering life by negligence. They have also been charged under Section 24 of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007, for abandoning a senior citizen. However, no arrests have been made yet in this case. After being found on the garbage dump, Yashoda was rushed to Jogeshwari Trauma Care Hospital and later shifted to Cooper Hospital.
Medical care
Yashoda's condition
Dean Dr. Sudhir Medhekar confirmed she had an ulcerative skin growth suspected to be basal cell carcinoma, but her vitals were stable. The incident has caused public outrage across Maharashtra, leading to a suo motu review by the state's Human Rights Commission. The National Cancer Institute in Nagpur has also stepped forward to provide free treatment to Yashoda. She is currently under medical care at Cooper Hospital.