Bengaluru: Helpline sees surge in calls from elders facing abuse at home

Bengaluru: The Nightingales Elders Helpline, working with the Bengaluru city police commissioner, receives 800 to 1,000 calls a month from seniors facing harassment, mostly from their own children over property disputes and inheritance.

Counsellors at the call centre said the rise in distress calls is linked to the real estate boom, unemployment among youth, and weakening family values.

Swathi Bhandary of the Nightingales Elders Helpline said calls from Bengaluru Urban have surged, with many linked to family problems and abuse.

"When a call reaches the helpline, much damage has already happened to the relationship," Swathi told DH. "We see cases where children pressure parents to transfer property or name it in their favour, promising care in return. Once the transfer happens, they neglect them." 

Counsellors link this trend to the city’s real estate boom and high cost of living, which have fuelled a rush for inheritance.

Ramya S, a counsellor, said space constraints in Bengaluru often lead to verbal abuse and fights, which later turn into financial harassment or abandonment.

Data from April 2024 to March 2025 shows that out of 320 written complaints, 234 were linked to harassment or cheating by family members.

Operating from the police headquarters allows the helpline to respond faster than private centres. "Because we call from a police location, it helps us get a response from the opposite party," Swathi said.

The process includes separate and joint counselling sessions. If criminal intent or physical abuse is detected, the helpline directs victims to the police for Medico Legal Case (MLC) certification.

While the 112 emergency system resolves many doorstep disputes, a senior officer said deteriorating family values remains a social challenge. "Internal family neglect is a larger social issue that goes beyond standard policing," he said.

Two murders in a fortnight

In a recent incident in Vignan Nagar, a 33-year-old techie allegedly murdered his parents, a 60-year-old retired Indian Navy Captain and a 55-year-old dentist. Police said the son had been harassing them for money to fund business ventures.

A 71-year-old retired BMTC conductor died after he was assaulted by his sons with a baseball bat over a property dispute in Indiranagar on Sunday. 

Helpline data: Bengaluru Urban (Apr 2024–Mar 2025)

Total calls: 13,397
Written complaints registered: 320
Verbal complaints registered: 1,518
Primary abuse category: Elder abuse by family members (234 written cases)

(If you or an elderly person you know needs help, call the toll-free helpline 1090)