In a heartbreaking incident from Nagpur, an elderly woman was left abandoned under the harsh April sun, with temperatures soaring above 40°C. She had only a water bottle and a packet of biscuits beside her a small act of pity that didn’t go much further. It wasn’t until hours later that someone informed the police, who then shifted her to a hospital for treatment.
Sources revealed that the woman, believed to be in her 70s, was dropped off by unidentified people in an e-rickshaw. The incident took place on the stretch between Shitala Mata Chowk and Nirmal Nagari Gate Number 3 on Saturday. Left on the roadside in the extreme heat, she eventually collapsed and lost consciousness.
The heartbreaking sight of the elderly woman lying unconscious by the roadside moved a passer-by, who quickly alerted the police control room. Acting swiftly, personnel from the Nandanvan police station reached the spot and took her to the Government Medical College & Hospital (GMCH) for treatment. Constables Vinita Baghele and Manoj Bansod remained by her side at the hospital, ensuring she received medical attention without delay.
“She responded by merely opening her eyes for a few seconds. The doctors too are trying their best to revive her,” said Baghele. The constable added that it looked like the elderly woman hadn’t had a meal for the past 24 hours. “She is still battling for life,” Baghele said.
To prevent heatstroke deaths during Vidarbha’s harsh summers, Nagpur police, under CP Ravinder Singal, launched ‘Mission Mukti’. The initiative aims to rescue homeless and abandoned people from the streets and shift them to government shelter homes.
The city sees around 30 heat-related deaths each year, mostly among the homeless. In this case, Nandanvan police, led by senior inspector Vinayak Koli, are trying to identify the elderly woman and find her family.