Pune: Mentally unstable youth who went missing 10 months ago reunites with family

Pune: Mentally unstable youth who went missing 10 months ago reunites with family

The youth was spotted by a photojournalist in Thane's Kalwa on July 28 and he undertook the mission to reunite him with his family. He was helped by activists, mental hospital staffers and local police in finally tracing the youth's, who calls himself Gabbar, family.

Abhitash SinghUpdated: Monday, October 17, 2022, 04:27 PM IST
article-image
Raju Singh alias Gabbar with his family in Pune | FPJ

Free Press journal had on July 30, 2022, had first reported that a mentally unstable man, who identified himself as 'Gabbar' was admitted in Thane mental hospital by a group of good samaritans including a journalist. The man, after two and a half months was reunited with his family.

Raju Singh alias Gabbar was received by his brothers from the hospital on October 14.

Heaving a sigh of relief as the altruistic efforts bore fruits, Prashant Narvekar , the man who had first tried to reunite the man with his family, exclaimed, "Finally, our mission to give a new lease of life to this young man was successful."

Family rejoiced

While speaking with FPJ, his younger brother Dilip Singh said, "My brother first went missing 10 months ago and we have been looking for him since." While Gabbar's older brother Kuldip Singh, said, "I received a call from the police who said my brother has been traced in Thane. As soon as we got the call, we rushed there to bring our brother back."

Singh, speaking about his family and Gabbar's mental health issue, said, "I am college student and my elder brother works in a small scale industry in Pune. We all are large family of three brothers and two sisters and our mother is also mentally unstable. Our brother Gabbar first time showed signs of schizophrenia three years back."

The younger sibling said that they were consulting a local doctor but earlier this year his condition worsened and before they could consult another, he had left. "We registered complaint in our village in Uttar Pradesh but local police could not trace him," Dilip added.

Kuldip thanking journalist Prashant Narvekar and social activist Kasber Augustine said, " I got to meet my brother because of these two good samaritans and the hospital who helped my brother to get better. Now we will take him to Pune and enrol him in the gym to make him more healthy. "

How was his family traced?

Social worker associated with the mental hospital Nilima Kesarkar was one of the crucial persons in tracing his family. Kesarkar, who worked closely with him, said that he was scared when he was first admitted. She added that it was his dialect which helped her figure out that he must belong to a north Indian state.

During their conversation she understood that he hails from Mahoba in Uttar Pradesh. Subsequently, she contacted district Superintendent. "We received a call from district police saying that there was a missing complaint filed for such a person which led us to his family. Gabbar has now reunited with his family and is in a better shape."

How was he found?

A photojournalist, Prashant Narvekar, first spotted Raju Singh in Vitawa area of Kalwa in Thane on July 28. His plight moved Narvekar and he began looking into his whereabouts. Meanwhile, he also sought help from TMC's disaster management cell and Kalwa police.

After the search led to nowhere, Narvekar went to the police and also informed local citizens' forum chief Kasber Augustine about the situation and they joined hands for a humane cause and got him admitted in the hospital with help from Dr Sofiya A. Others who joined the good cause were dietician Shital Nagre and mental hospital deputy superintendent Dr Sandeep Divekar.

RECENT STORIES

Mira- Bhayandar: 9 Municipal And Private Schools Organise Educational Rally Promoting Voting...

Mira- Bhayandar: 9 Municipal And Private Schools Organise Educational Rally Promoting Voting...

Govinda Joins Shiv Sena: A Lookback At Actor's Political Journey

Govinda Joins Shiv Sena: A Lookback At Actor's Political Journey

Windsurfing Wonder: Mumbai's Naavya Kaku Maks Waves In National Sporting Arena

Windsurfing Wonder: Mumbai's Naavya Kaku Maks Waves In National Sporting Arena

Mumbai: Growel's 101 Mall Gets Second Notice From BMC To Hand Over Land For Development In Kandivali

Mumbai: Growel's 101 Mall Gets Second Notice From BMC To Hand Over Land For Development In Kandivali

MahaRERA Is The Only Regulator In India To Recover Compensation Of ₹125 Crore In Just 14 Months

MahaRERA Is The Only Regulator In India To Recover Compensation Of ₹125 Crore In Just 14 Months