Mumbai: Juhu police reunite missing woman with her siblings

Patel with the Juhu police who helped her find her family

The Juhu police on Thursday reunited a 75-year-old senior citizen with her siblings' families nearly 15 days after she left for her sister's house and forgot the address. The police said she asked an auto driver to drop her off at Milan subway on the way to her sister's house. However, she couldn't remember where to go after that. The woman allegedly spent two-three days on the road before a good Samaritan told the police about her.

Shockingly her siblings hadn't approached the police after she went missing. The Juhu police, who have recorded her siblings' statements, say they will act if they find something suspicious.

The woman was identified as Shanti Patel, a resident of Sakinaka. The police said Patel's brother stays at Sakinaka and her sister, at Vile Parle. The siblings are not on talking terms due to a family dispute. Patel stays with each of them alternatively for a month.

How cops found her family

PSI Santosh Dhavle of Juhu police station said, "We received a call on April 12 from a local saying an old woman had been sleeping on the road for many days at Irla. We went to the spot and found that the woman was not able to speak properly and she seemed unwell. We admitted her to Cooper hospital."

"She told us her name was Shanti Patel but could not remember her address or about her family members. Under the guidance of Senior Inspector Shashikant Mane and Inspector Pawar, we circulated her photo on social media," Dhavle said.

Found kin through social media

Senior Inspector Mane said, "After circulating the messages on social media we got a call from one Shakeel, who has a garage at Vile Parle. He told us the woman was his friend's aunt. Shakeel informed Patel's nephew Shankar Shambhu Patel on Thursday. We called him to the police station and reunited him with his aunt."

"We also called Patel's sister and brother to the police station and they told us that they have not talked to each other for a long time, but they take care of their mother in turns. But though Patel left her brother's house, he didn't call their sister asking whether she had reached. Neither did Patel's sister inquire about her arrival. Neither of them registered a missing complaint. We have recorded Patel's sister and brother's statements and if we find anything suspicious in our investigation, we will act against them," he added.