25 June,2025 07:56 AM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah Khan
The elderly woman is undergoing treatment at Cooper Hospital. Pic/By Special Arrangement
Responding to mid-day's report about an elderly woman who was allegedly abandoned by her grandson in a garbage dump at Aarey Milk Colony, the National Cancer Institute (NCI), Nagpur, has stepped forward to provide free cancer treatment and medical care to the ailing woman. The Maharashtra Human Rights Commission (MHRC), meanwhile, has taken suo motu cognisance of the incident and registered a case.
This newspaper's June 23 report on the alleged abandonment of the woman, who has a cancerous facial ulcer, sparked widespread outrage, prompting swift responses from civil society and numerous institutions.
(From left) The abandoned woman found near a garbage dump in Aarey; the roadside garbage dump where the woman was discovered. Pics/By Special Arrangement
Shailesh Joglekar, general secretary and CEO of NCI, said he felt compelled to help after coming across the story. "When I learnt about her condition from the news, I immediately tried to get more information. I said NCI would be willing to take full responsibility for her cancer care at our Nagpur facility. We are prepared to bring her here and begin treatment," Joglekar said.
ALSO READ
Mumbai: Leopard spotted in Aarey forest sparks wildlife safety call
Honouring the elderly is honouring your future self
Grandson feigns surprise as cops probe grandmother’s body found in trash
Stuffed croc, missing head, mystery deepens at Aarey
Nagpur’s NCI steps up to treat abandoned cancer patient from Mumbai
NCI is operated by the Dr Aabaji Thatte Sewa Aur Anusandhan Sanstha, a charitable trust committed to cancer care and social service. The woman's grandchildren have expressed happiness that their grandmother will now receive proper medical attention.
Dr Sudhir Medhekar, the dean of Cooper Hospital, where the woman has been receiving treatment, said she was stable on Tuesday and that a biopsy sample had been sent for investigations A senior MSHRC official, meanwhile, told mid-day, "After reading the heartrending story featured on the cover page of your newspaper, we decided to take cognisance of the matter, as according to the story, there was a clear violation of human rights."
"So, on Tuesday, we filed a suo motu case and soon all the persons concerned, including top officials of various departments, including health, will be summoned before the commission. We also request you [mid-day] to continue covering developments related to the case every day," the officer added.
