Elderly Woman Found Dead Alone in Pune Home; Son Returns from Singapore for Last Rites Five Days Later
Range Hills, 12th July 2026: A 70-year-old retired schoolteacher was found dead in her residence in Pune’s Range Hills area after she had reportedly remained alone in her home for three days following a suspected heart attack. Her son flew in from Singapore, and her last rites were performed on the fifth day after her death at Vaikunth Crematorium.
The deceased had been living alone in a housing society in Range Hills. Her husband had passed away nearly a decade ago. While her son and daughter-in-law are settled in Singapore, her daughter lives in the United States.
According to available information, the domestic help who worked at the woman’s residence was unable to report for duty for two days due to heavy rainfall. When she returned on the third day, repeated attempts to ring the doorbell went unanswered. She immediately alerted neighbours, who also tried to contact the elderly woman but received no response.
After several attempts, the neighbours managed to establish contact with her son in Singapore. Following his email authorising them to break open the door, they informed the Chaturshringi Police.
Police personnel forced open the door and found the woman lying dead inside the house. A post-mortem examination later confirmed that she had died of a heart attack approximately three days earlier.
Her son arrived in Pune two days later, and her funeral was held on Saturday, July 11, at Vaikunth Crematorium in the presence of a few relatives. According to the information available, her daughter, who resides in the United States, was unable to travel to Pune following her mother’s death.
The incident has once again highlighted the vulnerability of senior citizens living alone in urban areas, especially those whose children reside abroad.
Arun Rode, former president of the Maharashtra Senior Citizens
Federation, urged elderly citizens living alone to register their details with the local police and the Pune Police Commissioner’s Bharosa Cell.
He said senior citizens should ensure that neighbours have the contact numbers of their children and close relatives. He also appealed to children living away from home to maintain regular contact with their ageing parents and neighbours.
The Bharosa Cell helpline for senior citizens is 1090.
