Elderly Cancer Patient Found Dumped in Garbage by Grandson in Mumbai’s Aarey Colony

Mumbai, June 24, 2025: In a deeply disturbing case, Mumbai Police rescued a 60-year-old woman who was found abandoned near a garbage heap in Aarey Colony on the morning of Saturday, June 21. The woman, identified as Yashoda Gaikwad, told police that she had been dumped there by her grandson.

Police rescued Yashoda after receiving a call about an elderly person lying near a heap of trash in Unit No. 32 of Aarey Colony. Officers found her dressed in a pink nightdress and grey petticoat, wounded and unable to move. When asked what happened, she quietly told them, “My grandson left me here.”

Yashoda’s face bore deep, untreated wounds, later identified as ulcerative lesions—a potential symptom of basal cell carcinoma, a type of skin cancer. Her fragile voice and injured appearance revealed the trauma of abandonment and prolonged suffering.

Despite the police’s prompt response, Yashoda faced delays in receiving medical attention. Jogeshwari Trauma Care Hospital declined her admission due to a lack of treatment facilities required to treat the illness she is suffering from. Cooper Hospital initially turned her away following a brief check-up. Senior Inspector Ravindra Patil of Aarey Police Station personally intervened and finally got her admitted to the hospital at 5:30 p.m.—nearly eight hours later.

A doctor at Cooper Hospital, Dr. Sudhir Medhekar, confirmed that Yashoda is suffering from basal cell carcinoma with ulceroproliferative growths on her cheek and nose. 

The police are currently using two addresses provided by Yashoda — one in Malad and another in Kandivali — to trace her family. Search efforts so far have yielded no results. Her photograph has been circulated across local police stations to expedite the search, and authorities are also examining CCTV footage to identify the grandson she named.

The police have also urged members of the public who recognise Yashoda to come forward with any information they have regarding her family.

Authorities have expressed serious concern over the cruelty of the act and are investigating the circumstances surrounding her abandonment. Further details are expected as the probe continues.

Source: India TV

Image Credit: India TV