Speak up Mumbai: Is safety of senior citizens at stake in maximum city?

When 85-year-old Nanak Gopaldas Makhijani and his 80-year-old wife Daya Nanak Makhijani were murdered by a their caretaker and her boyfriend at their flat in Ekta Elite, Khar on Thursday, safety concern for elderly people staying alone in the city was reignited.

In recent past, many incidents have come to the fore in the city wherein bodies of senior citizens living alone have been found in decomposed state. In all these incidents their children were living abroad and were hesitant to come for their last rites.

These incidents put spotlight on isolation and loneliness of nearly five lakh senior citizens who live in the city, and the problems they face in every day life.

Deaths of senior citizens in such way shows the apathy of neighbors and housing society members as well.

The Mumbai police had launched a dedicated helpline, 1090 for senior citizens where the senior citizens who are living alone in the city can give a call if they need any help, or, sometimes, just because they feel lonely. The Late RR Patil, the then Home Minister of Maharashtra, started the initiative which required police officials to meet elderly living alone regularly. However, the recent death is a proof of inaction on the part of police.

VOICES

I don't think security of senior citizens has been taken for granted. their security is collective responsibility of community, senior citizens themselves and then the government. The Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 provides social and health security and security of life and property to senior citizens. There is very little awareness about it.
—Digambar Chapke, Navi Mumbai

No one spares a thought for security of a senior citizen. In my society, there are many who live alone, either their children live abroad or they have no one left in the family. Extended families, society and the government should do something about them. A society by-law should be introduced guards keep a check on their whereabouts and raise an alarm when needed.
—Vijay Aundhe, Sion

Gruesome murders of senior citizens speaks volumes about apathy of neighbours, police, their children and housing society where they live. The neighbours should once in a while should visit their elderly neighbours to ensure their well-being. As far as I know, the police have also been instructed to visit their houses once a week, which, I think is not happening.
—Himanshi Sen, a resident of Mahim

Security of senior citizen has always been a concern, especially these days when everyone in the family is a working professional. During afternoons, most senior citizens are alone at home. Many leave behind their aged parents in the city for an ambitious life abroad, making the lonely couples an easy target. However, I feel that the rate of crime against elderly in Mumbai is less compared to other cities owing to effective policing system in the city.
—Mahananda Worlikar, Worli

We have completely ignored senior citizens and are blissfully unmindful of our responsibilities towards them. Owing to changing lifestyle and work pressure, their offsprings have forgotten that their parents are vulnerable and need constant care and support. With no one to protect and look after them, they have become soft targets of swindlers, raising crime rates against elderly people. Even though police have introduced helpline numbers but it's hardly useful. There is an urgent requirement for more security measure so that they live in harmony.
—Smita Bhingarde, Jogeshwari

The police need to form a cell in every police station to look after safety of senior citizens. Most of them stay alone as their children work in other cities or countries. In such a scenario, either societies or police need to take care of them. Time and again, incident of a senior citizen becoming victim have been reported. Sadly, the police department has taken the issue very lightly.
—Arun Lal, Mulund

Nowadays most of the time children leave their parents home and go abroad. Security of elderly parents is at stake with no one left behind to look after them. Many had been robbed by people pretending to help them by first gaining their trust. The government should introduce some mechanism so that police, apart from visiting them physically, can watch them over without visiting their house and ensure their safety.
—Renubala Chauhan, Mira Road

There is hardly any attention paid for senior citizens' security. People are left to their own fate. These senior citizens have no clue how to deal with it. Like the ones who were murdered, most senior citizens would like to stay alone, away from the mercy of their children. They are left at the mercy of people, vulnerable and exposed to crooked people who are out to take advantage. The government should look at forming senior citizen community. Colleges nearby that have social service centres can visit them occasionally and also check if they need some help.
—Nandlal Chaturvedi, Goregaon

EXPERT SPEAK

Our men do visit residences of senior citizens, and directions have been given to all police stations in this regard. Meanwhile, we appeal to all the senior citizens to visit nearby police stations and register themselves. In the wake of several cases of crime involving domestic helps, register the names before appointing a caretaker to ensure police verification.
—Deepak Devraj, Mumbai police spokesperson and Deputy Commissioner of Police (operations)

40 per cent of senior citizens are not secured in their own house. They themselves should ensure their safety and security. Their domestic helps should be registered with nearby police station. Sometimes they are hesitant to take help from the police, the gap between police and senior citizens should be bridged. They should also be in touch with their neighbors and exchange contact details which can help them in future.
—Prakash Borgaokar, Director of HelpAge India