The police have reunited a man with his family nearly a decade after he went missing, following a focused drive to crack long-pending cases, officials said on Sunday. The man, identified as Praveen Pawar (39), had left his residence in Palghar district in 2016 after a disagreement with his parents. Despite repeated efforts by his family over the years, his whereabouts remained unknown. Pawar, originally from Ahilyanagar, was working at a hospital in Vikramgadh at the time. After leaving home, he completely severed communication, leaving his family distressed and uncertain for almost ten years.
The breakthrough was achieved under Operation Muskan-14, a special initiative launched by Palghar Superintendent of Police Yatish Deshmukh to trace missing children and adults by re-examining old and unresolved cases. As part of this campaign, police teams reopened Pawar’s file and conducted a fresh investigation. Officers followed new leads, rechecked records, and applied advanced investigative methods that were not available earlier. The operation focuses on combining conventional policing with modern tools to ensure that long-forgotten cases receive renewed attention and a systematic follow-up.
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Wada police station inspector Dattatray Kindre said Pawar was traced to Delhi on Saturday through a combination of technical analysis, human intelligence inputs, and social media tracking. After confirming his identity, police contacted him and informed his family. Officials said necessary procedures are now being completed to facilitate his safe return and reunion with his parents. The case has been described as a significant success for Operation Muskan, demonstrating how persistence, technology, and fresh investigation can help resolve even decade-old missing person cases.