A 55-year-old man named Anup Kumar Nair, a former computer programmer from Juinagar, locked himself inside his flat for more than three years, avoiding all contact with the outside world. He survived by ordering food online and refused to leave his house or meet anyone.
His flat in Gharkool CHS, Sector 24, became extremely dirty, filled with human waste. Anup was completely isolated due to depression, loneliness, and distrust of others. His parents had passed away in the last few years, and his elder brother had died by suicide 20 years ago. These tragedies deeply affected him.
A Good Samaritan informed the SEAL (Social and Evangelical Association for Love) organization about his condition. SEAL workers rushed to his flat and managed to enter it. They found Anup living in a miserable state, sleeping on a chair because most of the furniture was missing. He also had a serious leg infection that needed immediate medical care.
Now, Anup is being looked after at SEAL’s Ashram in Panvel.
His neighbour, Vijay Shibe, who is also the society chairman, said Anup rarely opened his door and wouldn’t even take out his garbage. The society members had to help him with basic tasks like transferring his parents’ fixed deposit to his account.
Speaking from the Panvel centre, Anup said: “I don’t have any friends left. My health is poor, and I can’t find a new job.”
Psychiatrist Dr Priyanka Mahajan explained that such extreme isolation is often caused by severe depression, especially after losing loved ones. People may start to feel hopeless and withdraw from society completely.
Abraham Mathai, founder of Harmony Foundation and SEAL’s chief patron, said: “It’s sad how lonely and depressed some people become in a big city like Mumbai. Luckily, Anup was rescued — but many others die alone in locked flats, and their bodies are only discovered much later.”
