Kolkata, April 13 A 21-year-old youth, missing from Bhagalpur district of Bihar for over 15 years now, was reunited with his mother by authorities in West Bengal through the efforts of amateur radio operators.
In 2019, the police rescued an injured youth from close to the toll plaza in Dhulagarh, Howrah, and got him admitted to the district hospital. While his injuries healed, doctors realised that he had lost his memory due to the trauma.
The youth spent the next six years at the hospital.
Doctors say that he would only smile when asked any question about his past. Finally, they got in touch with the West Bengal Radio Club (WBRC) - an organisation of amateur radio operators or HAMs - that has been using its vast network across the country to reunite such people with their families.
"We collected the youth's photograph and sent it to our friends in other states. Soon, we were able to trace his home in the Deuri Maheshpur village of Bhagalpur, Bihar. His mother Jhaji Devi is the only one living there now. Her mentally challenged elder son wandered away from home over 20 years ago. Her husband was killed in a lightning strike while working in the fields. After her husband's death, Jhaji Devi would take her younger son Sagar with her when she went to work in the fields," said Ambarish Nag Biswas, secretary, WBRC.
One evening, nearly 15 years ago, she was returning home from work with little Sagar following. When she reached home, the boy was nowhere to be found. Nobody has any idea as to where he was for the next 10 years and how he ended up at Dhulagarh, over 600 km away from home.
"The saddest part was the attitude of other villagers. They claimed that Sagar had died and the village was being tormented by his ghost. Finally, she was forced to travel to Gaya, nearly 10 years ago, and do 'Pind Daan' for the departed souls of her husband and younger son. She was overjoyed when we showed her the photograph of her son. Sagar, who doesn't even remember the name of the state where he belongs, broke down and wept like a child on seeing his mother on a video call. The headwoman of the village then intervened and helped Jhaji Devi reach Howrah to meet her son. Both of them are now back home," Nag Biswas said.
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