A 35-year-old mentally ill woman was reunited with her family by the Railway Child and Women helpline of the Lokamanya Tilak Terminus (LTT) and Shraddha Foundation with the help of local police almost after one year.
"We have been looking for her for almost one year,'' the woman's brother told officials while taking custody of the woman on April 29th, 2022. When asked how she reached LTT, the official said, "she does not remember. Even her brother who came to Mumbai to receive her was also not aware."
"On 23 February 2022, the woman was found alone on the LTT premises roaming and staying on footpaths in poor conditions for a few days. Thus, the Station Director contacted the Senior Inspector of the security department and informed them about the woman. The Inspector then contacted the LTT Railway Childline Program Co-ordinator," said an officer of Central Railway.
"After the calls were made, she was taken into the LTT Railway Childline custody and with the help of RPF, some medical tests, as well as the Covid test, were done on the woman. It was then decided to rehabilitate her to Kasturbha Mahila Ashram. But, due to her mental condition, she was not ready to stay. Thus, it was then decided to take the woman to Sakhi- One Stop Centre, Jogeshwari. While taking her there, she was asked about herself and her primary details when she told that her husband has left her and married another woman and that he does not look after her now. She said that he is always with his new wife. Because of this, she was mentally drained and is now in such a condition" a railway official told FPJ on Thursday.
The woman was then admitted to Sakhi- One Stop Centre, Balasaheb Thakarey Trauma Hospital for about a week. Her counseling was also done during this period. Besides, HIV, Covid as well as her pregnancy test was also done here.
On 4 March 2022, the woman was rehabilitated to the Shraddha Rehabilitation Foundation (Karjat) by the LTT Railway Childline. Upon testing at the Centre, the woman was found positive with Venereal disease for which injections were given to her accordingly.
After a few days in the rehabilitation and further counseling, her condition improved which helped the care centre to get her home address.
A search was conducted accordingly by the police officials at the given address and her relatives were found in a few days.
''They (the relatives) were told to come to the Rehabilitation Foundation to receive the woman. The woman’s brother arrived at the foundation and was very happy that he was reunited with his sister after about a year. He was overwhelmed and was very grateful to the LTT Railway Childline and the Shraddha Foundation," the officials said.
