The National Agency for Social Protection under the President of Uzbekistan has taken control of the situation surrounding Lyudmila Zhuravlyova, an 86-year-old pensioner living in the Habib Abdullayev neighborhood of Mirzo Ulugbek district, Tashkent. According to the agency's press service, on July 27, a young man who specializes in lock picking posted several videos on Instagram showing the elderly woman's condition.
In the videos, the man claims that the pensioner had been left without food. He attempted to open the door with a screwdriver and later brought her groceries. The woman expressed gratitude to the compassionate stranger and, saying she was 'afraid,' offered him a room to stay in. The footage also captured a neighbor who said the pensioner's refrigerator was empty.
The neighbor stated that the pensioner cries out from her window every day: 'Help, help!' 'We've contacted the guardianship authorities a hundred times, and they say they're feeding her,' the neighbor said. The pensioner in the video said she does not want to go to a nursing home and recounted that she previously worked as a school director and taught English. The neighbor confirmed that she was indeed the director of School No. 27.
The blogger also tried to turn on the tap above the kitchen sink, but no water came out. 'Please, don't turn it off. I'll die without water. Don't turn it off. Who turned it off?' the elderly woman asked in the video.
The blogger contacted a social worker by phone. 'When I come, I also turn on the water. If the door is closed, I open it, fill the water, and put it on the gas. I also make sure she doesn't accidentally turn on the gas,' the social worker responded. She also said: 'I'll come in the evening and help... You broke into the door of a person under state care. There is food in the refrigerator. I recently brought more products.'
Neighbors told the blogger that the pensioner receives a pension of nearly 3 million soums, but her bank card is held by the social worker. They expressed concerns that the apartment might have been 'registered to other people.'
The National Agency for Social Protection announced on the same day that an investigation had been launched into the incident and that 'measures are being taken to assess the social condition and needs of the elderly woman and provide her with necessary assistance.'
On July 28, the Mirzo Ulugbek district administration stated that the situation had been examined on-site by relevant organizations. It was reported that the woman 'is included in the registry of lonely elderly people, regularly receives pensions and material assistance provided by law, and is regularly provided with social and domestic services at home under the program 'Step into Active Life.''
'Some facts mentioned in the video appeal were not confirmed. In particular, it was found that there is drinking water in the apartment, a natural gas network is present, and the gas valve was temporarily removed by a social worker to ensure the citizen's safety. Additionally, the citizen's claims that no one had visited her for two weeks were checked, and it was confirmed that a social worker regularly provides services according to an approved plan,' the administration noted.
It was also emphasized that the district administration held a conversation with the blogger and explained why the woman was locked in. 'Due to age-related memory decline, she does not always recognize visitors. Therefore, one key to the apartment is kept by the citizen, and the second is kept by the social worker. The use of the citizen's bank card and funds is monitored in accordance with the law through an electronic platform, and monitoring of provided social services is carried out,' the statement said.
On July 31, the press service of the National Agency for Social Protection announced that employees had been dismissed in connection with the situation. 'A monitoring group consisting of employees of the district 'Inson' center and the district medical association failed to timely identify the deterioration of the citizen's condition and did not determine her need for constant care. In this regard, responsible officials were relieved of their positions,' the agency reported.
The agency noted that since June 11, a voucher for providing social and domestic assistance at home had been issued to the citizen. Services were provided four times a week. According to the agency, based on the conclusion of the district medical association, the citizen was found to suffer from cognitive impairments and vascular dementia and was under constant medical supervision.
'For a comprehensive assessment of her health, an additional medical examination was organized. Based on its results, L. Zhuravlyova was diagnosed with stage II-III dyscirculatory encephalopathy, cognitive impairments and vascular dementia, as well as widespread osteochondrosis,' the report said. The agency stated that the citizen's memory, thinking, and ability to navigate her environment have deteriorated.
'She cannot eat independently or meet daily needs. Observations show that if left alone, there is a high risk of harm to herself and others (improper use of gas appliances, leaving the door open, etc.). Given her need for constant care, the 'Inson' social services center placed her in the Social Support Center,' the agency reported. She has received medical care and round-the-clock care. Her condition is assessed as stable.
On July 30, it was confirmed that the pensioner's apartment had been re-registered to another person. The Prosecutor General's Office reported the existence of a notarized sale and purchase agreement dated September 25, 2025. Considering the need to investigate the circumstances related to the citizen's ability to understand the significance of her actions and manage them when transferring the apartment to another person, as well as assumptions that she may have been a victim of fraud, a criminal case was initiated under Part 4 of Article 168 of the Criminal Code (fraud on an especially large scale).
Source: www.gazeta.uz