By Arré Bench Jun. 04, 2020
Journalist Barkha Dutt brought us a heartbreaking story of a 70-year-old abandoned by her son in Mumbai. Days after the story went viral, Leelavati Dadi was taken in by a social entrepreneur from Delhi.
The coronavirus pandemic has exposed us to some tragic realities and heartbreaking stories, from the baby who tried to wake up her dead mother, to the old woman who was abandoned by her son in Mumbai. But humanity hasn’t lost yet. The toddler from Muzaffarpur railway station has found a guardian in Shah Rukh Khan and the grandma, now known by many as Leelavati Dadi, has found a home.
On June 1, journalist Barkha Dutt brought us the heartbreaking story of 70-year-old Leelavati, stranded alone at Bandra station with nothing but a pack of Parle-G biscuits and a bag. Her son, whom she was visiting, took all her money, beat her up, and chased her out of the house. “Kya karu main?” the helpless Leelavati asked.
“My drunk son took my money, beat me and threw me out” @BDUTT in conversation with a weeping seventy-year-old woman, Leelavati, who is stranded alone at Bandra railway station. Without money, she is surviving on biscuits and rice
Watch: https://t.co/2iSslpnR9i
— Mojo Story (@themojo_in) June 1, 2020
The story went viral and people started sharing it with Sonu Sood, who has become a saviour of sorts of migrants in the city.
https://t.co/zDWB5EDWpd @SonuSood sir please have a look at this video of a lady who is thrown out by her son for whom she came from Delhi to Mumbai. PL Sir I’m requesting you drop her somewhere she can be safe, bcoz her son from Delhi doesn’t allow her to enter the home🙏😭😭
— Divya Gupta (@dg1994194) May 31, 2020
Sood eventually addressed the barrage of messages on Twitter. “Today will be a special day for her,” he said. We knew that this would end well.
Today will be a special day for her ❤️🙏 https://t.co/qKExYavsB5
— sonu sood (@SonuSood) May 31, 2020
Leelavati Dadi was soon beaming with happiness. She was back in Delhi and has been taken in by a family. National spokesperson and Rajya Sabha member from the Aam Aadmi Party, Sanjay Singh, took to Twitter to announce, “Mother Lilavati ji has come to Delhi, her husband late Kedar Nath Dubey ji is not in the world, the son expelled from the house but there is no shortage of good people in the world. Kiran Verma, a social entrepreneur has taken the responsibility of keeping the mother with him, we salute his spirit and all should take inspiration from such youth.”
माता लीलावती जी दिल्ली आ गईं इनके पति स्व.केदार नाथ दूबे जी दुनिया में नही हैं बेटे ने घर से निकाल दिया लेकिन दुनिया में अच्छे इंसानो की कमी नही @VermaKiran युवा समाज सेवी ने माता जी को अपने साथ रखने का ज़िम्मा ले लिया है उनके जज़्बे को सलाम है ऐसे युवाओं से प्रेरणा लेनी चाहिये pic.twitter.com/WqMpk6cX13
— Sanjay Singh AAP (@SanjayAzadSln) June 1, 2020
“I am blessed with another Grandmother. Thank you everyone,” said Kiran Verma. He also thanked Singh for providing the best possible support.
I am really humbled to see the kindness of @SanjayAzadSln ji. He was not a politician today, he was a son to her providing the best possible support.@BDUTT my salute to your journalism through which, I am blessed with another Grandmother. Thank you everyone. https://t.co/WEUkgWHHXf
— Kiran Verma (@VermaKiran) June 1, 2020
A COVID-19 test has been conducted on the old woman. “We are waiting to get the report. But to make her safe, we won’t bring her out for three four days. She is doing great and very happy with us,” he tweeted. Verma even shared a number through which people could ping him and talk to her if they so wished.
I am really humbled to see the kindness of @SanjayAzadSln ji. He was not a politician today, he was a son to her providing the best possible support.@BDUTT my salute to your journalism through which, I am blessed with another Grandmother. Thank you everyone. https://t.co/WEUkgWHHXf
— Kiran Verma (@VermaKiran) June 1, 2020
Mojo Story shared a wholesome video shot by Verma where you can see Leelavati interacting with the neighbours and their kids. She has already made friends there, which includes a couple of cats. “Bahot acha lag raha hai,” she said with a big smile on her face, when asked how she was doing now.
#MojoImpact | From waiting for a train to Delhi at Bandra Station to being adopted by the kind @VermaKiran, Leelavati has found a loving home after Mojo’s campaign. We thank you all for your immense response and support.@BDUTT pic.twitter.com/YGjw9RVIcV
— Mojo Story (@themojo_in) June 4, 2020
Barkha Dutt who reported the story and Kiran Verma, who adopted Leelavati Dadi got much-deserved praise from users online. Finally a positive story from 2020 that could cheer us all up. Let’s hope there are more to follow soon.
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