Online fraud wipes out Worli father's medical funds for daughter

For Krishna Parab who earns Rs 12000 a month as a housekeeping staff member at a private firm every rupee counts For 15 years he has taken odd jobs alongside his regular work to keep his daughter Sejal alive Now 18 she has been battling postencephalitis sequelae mdash a rare condition that left her neurologically impaired since 2010 ldquoShe was growing up like any other childrdquo Krishna recalled ldquoBut when she was three she caught a fever that reached her brain eventually leading to postencephalitis sequelaerdquoSejal Parab with her parents at their residence on September 22 PICSKIRTI SURVE PARADEOn September 6 2010 doctors diagnosed Sejal with the condition leaving her parents stunned and unprepared ldquoWe did not even know what it meant The very first time the doctors explained it to us we did not even understand what exactly would happen with our daughter It was only when she started growing up physically but stayed a threeyearold mentally that we began to actually understand and experience what the doctors were trying to say when they said that both her brains are damaged permanentlyrdquo said Sanjana Parab Sejalrsquos motherBut just when the Parabs thought things could not get worse Krishna was cheated in a digital fraud that left him shattered mdash financially and emotionally In May 2025 fraudsters lured him with the promise of Rs 5 lakh in returns against a onetime payment of Rs 15000 Desperate for funds for Sejalrsquos treatment Krishna clung to the hope Instead he lost his savingsSanjana Parab does her daughter Sejalrsquos hair as the teenagerrsquos father Krishna looks on at their Worli homeldquoI didnrsquot think someone would cheat a father only trying to save his childrdquo he said breaking down ldquoIt was money I had saved by skipping meals They took it and vanishedrdquo The Rs 15000 loss equalled more than a monthrsquos salary money he had earmarked for therapies and medication Still Krishna tries to stay strong ldquoThe doctor said Sejal has shown 05 per cent improvement recently For us that is everything But I donrsquot know how much longer I can continuerdquoA 15year battleSejal has lived with severe neurological complications since encephalitis struck her as a toddler mdash unable to talk or walk properly needing constant care Every small milestone has been a victory moving her fingers sitting up or managing a few steps on her own ldquoShe smiles sometimesrdquo Krishna said ldquoHer eyes speak volumes That keeps me goingrdquoThe Parabs have tried everything mdash government hospitals private neurologists physiotherapy ayurveda homoeopathy even faith healers With little money they relied on donations credit from medical shops and neighboursrsquo goodwill In recent months homoeopathy has shown some progress but seizures persist The family continues to hopeAn urgent call for helpSocial workers warn that families like the Parabs are vulnerable to scams ldquoIn desperation they become easy preyrdquo said activist Nayana Deshpande ldquoWe need better community outreach and realtime financial support for such familiesrdquo In a city of millions the Parabs remain a quiet reminder of resilience mdash a fatherrsquos love stretched thin but unbrokenHow you can helpKrishna Parab UPI transfers accepted 7977721042Sejal diagnosed with postencephalitis sequelae September 6 2010 aged 3Date of online fraud May 19 2025Numbers used by scammers as per NCHuseen Manuyri923481174363Rana Pratap Singh9230418606122010Year Sejal was diagnosed with rare neurological condition