Azamgarh: In a heartwarming gesture under the 'Operation Muskaan' campaign, Azamgarh police helped in happy reunion of a 57-year-old woman with her family after 49 years of separation. Phoolmati, who had gone missing at a fair in Moradabad in 1975, was reunited with her brother, bringing tears of joy to the family.
The incident highlights the sincere efforts of the Azamgarh police in tracing and reuniting estranged families. Azamgarh superintendent of police (SP) Hemraj Meena oversaw the 'Operation Muskaan' campaign, which focuses on recovering kidnapped and missing persons.
On December 19, 2024, Pooja Rani, a teacher at Primary School Pajawa Bilaspur in Rampur, contacted the additional superintendent of police (ASP) Shailendra Lal and informed the senior police official about Phoolmati.
"Pooja Rani told us about a woman named Phoolmati who had been missing for decades. She only knew her maternal uncle's name and the village. The details were scant, but we decided to act immediately," said SP Hemraj Meena.
Phoolmati recounted that she had gone to the Moradabad fair with her mother, Shyamadei, in 1975 when she was just eight years old. "An old man lured me away and later sold me to Laalta Prasad Gangwar in Rampur. He married me, and we have a son made Sompal," Phoolmati told the police. Despite her life in Rampur, she yearned to find her family, whom she believed were in Azamgarh.
A team led by SP City was dispatched to Rampur to bring Phoolmati to Azamgarh. Based on her memories, including her maternal uncle's name, Ramchandra, and details of their home, the police began their search. After investigating, they found a village named Chhuntidar in Mau district.
"In Chhuntidar, we located one of her maternal uncles, Ramhit. He confirmed Phoolmati's disappearance and informed us about her brother, Laldhar, who resides in Vedpur, Azamgarh," said an official from the investigating team.
The police then traced Laldhar, who was overwhelmed to learn about his sister. "I couldn't believe it when they told me they had found her. It is a miracle," said Laldhar.
The emotional reunion of Phoolmati with her brother brought tears to the eyes of everyone present. The family expressed gratitude to the Azamgarh police for their tireless efforts. "This campaign gives hope to many families. Such success stories inspire us to continue our work," SP Meena said.
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